


The Best Things In Life Are Free

by SkylarEQuinn



Series: InkVerse [6]
Category: Hetalia: Axis Powers
Genre: 2P America (Hetalia), F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-22
Updated: 2017-03-22
Packaged: 2018-10-09 06:36:14
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 12
Words: 38,779
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10406127
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SkylarEQuinn/pseuds/SkylarEQuinn
Summary: InkVerse WWII Human AU. Amelia Jones thought everything was going to be okay as long as her neighbor Kiku Honda was always by her side, but once Pearl Harbor is bombed and Kiku and his family are sent to live elsewhere, Amelia finds herself falling apart. Having nothing else to cling to, she holds on to the one thing he left her to remember him by.





	1. Chapter 1

November 30, 1941, Los Angeles, California

Amelia Jones rode on the handlebars of her bicycle while her Japanese neighbor boy, Kiku Honda, pedaled it. Since she was usually loud and pushy and Kiku was very soft-spoken, there was never much room to wonder whether or not Kiku really wanted to do that. He really did not seem to mind it, though. After all, the two were constantly together. It was rare to see loud, rambunctious Amelia without shy, quiet Kiku by her side.

The young, American girl laughed into the wind as it blew her short curls behind her. She squeezed her aqua blue eyes shut so the wind wouldn't dry them out. Her hands got a tighter grip on the handlebars as she tilted her head back, eager to feel the warm sunshine on her face. "Hey, Kiku?" she asked, getting his attention.

"Hai," he answered, tilting his head to the side to glance around her. He definitely did not want to run into anyone with Amelia on the handlebars, especially since they were always getting yelled at by adults for it anyway.

"Do you think I have what it takes to be a pin-up girl?" she asked, turning slightly so she could look at him.

Kiku sighed. "We have been over this many times, Ami-chan," he said. "You are lovely. You are more beautiful than a pin-up girl. The way they are posed and the clothes that they wear are not becoming of a girl such as you. Only one man should look at you the way men look at pin-up girls. Only one man deserves to."

Amelia blushed a deep scarlet and turned to face forward once more. "Kiky, you shouldn't talk to me like that," she softly said. "Someone would think you're my boyfriend or something."

"Is that such a bad thing?" he asked.

"N-No," Amelia answered, flustered. "It's just...Never mind, let's just get to our houses, Kiku, okay?" She narrowed her eyes as she looked toward their houses, which were at the end of the dead end street.

Her father was outside talking to Kiku's father, a regular everyday occurrence. The two were good friends, just like their children. They always joked about arranging a marriage between Kiku and Amelia until Amelia would whine at her father to stop, red-faced and embarrassed. She partially did it for Kiku's benefit, knowing that he got embarrassed by nearly anything that involved girls. Amelia was just glad that Kiku was never nervous around her like he was around other girls at school. It was probably because they had been neighbors for as long as both of them could remember.

"Hey, our dads are outside talking," Amelia said, giving Kiku a heads-up on the situation in their front yards as they neared their houses. She narrowed her eyes a little more to try to see their expressions. "It looks pleasant, though, from what I can tell." She turned back to look at Kiku. "I don't think they heard about science class yet."

"You mean what you did," Kiku sighed.

"It was a team effort," Amelia huffed, turning back to face forward. "Besides, if I go down you're going down with me, Honda."

Kiku rolled his eyes. "Stubborn as always, Ami-chan," he sighed. He couldn't help but smile, though.

Anyone who ever observed them knew that he adored the beautiful blonde. Everyone but Amelia seemed to be aware of how Kiku truly felt about her, yet no one said anything for his sake. They all figured he would eventually say something when he was ready, whenever that would be. At the rate he was going, she would be happily married with grandchildren by the time he told her.

"So what if I am?" she asked. "I get it from my father." She stuck her bottom lip out in defiance and chewed her inner right cheek a little. "Besides, you're my partner in crime. You're the only one who is ever down to have fun with me, Kiku."

"Fun always means trouble when it comes to you," Kiku reminded. "That's why no one ever wants to have fun with you."

Amelia laughed loudly. "They're just all scared! But not you, Kiku. That's why you're my best friend." She turned and flashed him a toothy grin. "You're not afraid of anything, Kiku! That's why I like you so much!"

Kiku smiled a little, trying to prevent a blush from forming on his cheeks. "Yeah, I like you too, Amelia," he said, struggling to keep his voice even. He felt relieved when Amelia turned back around, laughing wildly.

"Amelia Eleanor Jones!" Frank Jones called when he spotted his daughter and Kiku a few houses down. "You have some explaining to do!"

"Yup," Amelia sighed. "They definitely heard about science class. You might want to stop the bike so we don't get yelled at more, Kiku."

Kiku obediently stopped the bicycle and helped Amelia off the handlebars. "I'll take the fall with you. We both go down together, right?" he reminded, smiling wryly to her.

Amelia giggled. "Right," she agreed with a nod as she grabbed the handlebars of her bike and walked it over to where their fathers were waiting. "Hi, Daddy. Good afternoon, Mr. Honda."

"Konnichiwa, Mr. Jones. Konnichiwa, Otousan," Kiku said, politely bowing his head to each of them in greeting.

"We both got calls from your teacher today," Kento Honda began. "Would either of you like to explain to us what happened?"

Amelia turned a light shade of pink. "You see, Mr. Honda, what happened was that we were supposed to dissect frogs today. I don't like that kind of stuff. It would be like if someone were to dismember me after I die, and that's just disrespectful to the dead, you know? So Kiku and I took ours out to the schoolyard to bury it instead…"

Frank frowned. "Just get in the house, Amelia. We'll discuss this further later. You just need to understand that not everyone shares the same views as you on most topics." He pointed toward their white duplex that they shared with the Hondas. "Go straight to your room, and I will be in there in a bit to talk to you."

Amelia slouched a bit and walked her bike toward the house. "Yes, sir," she softly said as she went on her way.

Kiku watched her walk, nearly all of the bounce out her step. He thought she looked as if the life had been sucked out of her. "It's not her fault, Mr. Jones," he quietly said when she was inside. "I suggested to bury it."

"I expect this kind of behavior from my daughter," Frank began, looking sternly at the young Japanese boy, "but not from you, Kiku. I trust you to keep her in line at school. Now I understand that's not an easy job after what happened this past spring, but she needs a friend badly. She needs someone who will understand. I thought you could be that person."

Kiku nodded, ashamed of himself for disappointing Amelia's father. "Hai," he softly said. "I apologize, Mr. Jones. I won't let it happen again."

"I need to go inside to make sure she's okay," Frank sighed. He nodded to Kiku and Kento. "Have a good evening, folks." He then turned on his heel and went into their side of the duplex.

"Was it really your idea, Kiku?" Kento quietly asked his son as they walked toward their side of the house. "Or did Amelia talk you into it and you said yes because you would feel guilty if you didn't?"

Kiku shrugged. "I wanted to do it," he said. "She may have suggested it, but I was thinking it as well. Ami-chan is very sensitive to things like death and what happens to things after they die."

Kento nodded silently. "I understand that, but you need to understand that it is your responsibility as her friend to keep her out of trouble."

"Otousan, please forgive my rudeness, but I do not see what we did as wrong," Kiku said. "As I have said, Ami-chan is very sensitive to things of that sort, and it hurt to see her looking so sad with a scalpel in her hand. She couldn't dissect the frog and the gave her no other options without failing her." He frowned. "I will go to my room as well." Once inside, that was what he did.

Hatsune Honda walked over to her husband when he entered the kitchen. "Where is Kiku? Dinner will be ready soon?"

"He's punishing himself because Amelia is being punished," Kento explained, sighing. He sat heavily in a chair and rubbed at his temples. "Our son has too good of a heart, Hatsune. I just hope it doesn't hurt him one day."

.

Amelia laid on her stomach on her bed, crying into her pillow. She was so tired of getting into trouble for doing things that she had thought were the right thing to do. It was getting old. And it didn't help that it was just her and her father at home now. Her older brother Allan had left for college as soon as he graduated high school that past spring and never came to visit. It wasn't like she could blame him. Their father was always nice when people were around, but he was a completely different man behind closed doors. She was dreading the moment he would walk through the door of her bedroom. At least he wouldn't yell. She knew the Hondas would hear him if he did.

Frank knocked on his daughter's door. "Amelia, we need to talk," he said, walking in. "You can't keep going around and doing whatever the fuck you want. I'm tired of you going around and acting like the world owes you something. Look, I know it's not fair that your mother died this past spring, but that's not an excuse for you to act this way."

"It's not fair that Mom died the way she did!" Amelia said, tearing up even more at the mention of her mother. "She shouldn't have had to die like that! Why didn't someone help her?"

"No one knows," Frank simply said. "But we can't worry about that now, Amelia. It's all said and done, and no one can change what happened. I miss her, too."

Amelia sat up on her bed and hugged her knees to her chest. "She was in pieces when they found her…" she softly said. "Who chops someone up like that after they kill them? What kind of person is that fucked up?"

"Watch your language. You're already on thin ice, missy," Frank warned, pointing at her. "I get why you don't like dissecting things. It reminds you of the fact that someone 'dissected' Grace…"

Amelia put her hands over her ears. "Stop!" she yelled. "I don't want to hear it! Don't remind me!" She shook her head. "Don't talk to me about her! I can't take it, Dad!" Tears spilled out of her eyes. "Just stop!"

Frank went silent, just staring at his daughter until she finished raging on her bed. "Are you done yet?" he asked her after a moment.

Amelia slowly lowered her hands, nodding. "Yeah," she softly said.

"You need to apologize to Kiku tomorrow when you see him," her father said. "You're always getting that boy into trouble. Do you not care about how he feels about the things you make him do?"

"First of all, I don't make him do anything," Amelia snapped at him. "Kiku does everything because he wants to. I don't even ask him most of the time, he just follows along with me."

"Have you ever thought that he goes along with it because he feels sorry for you and thinks he has no other choice?" Frank asked. "It's not like you any other friends."

"Get out!" Amelia cried out, jumping up from her bed. She pushed Frank out of her room and slammed the door after him, shaking her head as she leaned heavily against the door, sinking against it.

That couldn't be true. She had plenty of other friends. Her mind was just too foggy to think of all of them on the top of her head. But they were there. They had to be. She couldn't have just Kiku. She had to have more than just him.

.

Kiku cringed when he heard Amelia shout and then heard her bedroom door slam. Her bedroom was right next to his. They found that out as children and had learned Morse Code once they learned to read, knocking out little messages to each other on the wall. He was not waiting patiently for her tapping to begin. He knew she was going to tell him what had happened. The walls may be thin, but he hadn't heard the whole conversation. Amelia's yelling had been muffled.

Sure enough, he heard Amelia knock out a simple message. Are you there?

Kiku sighed and leaned against the wall. Before knocking. Yes. Are you okay?

No. My dad is the worst. He makes me wish I were dead.

Please do not say such things. I would not want you to die.

I want to. I hate my life. It has turned to shit since my mom died. I want to just disappear.

I would miss you if you did that.

Thanks. I think I might take a nap. Take care. I'm sorry for getting you in trouble.

It is no problem. Rest well.

Kiku listened intently for another minute and heard nothing. He figured she must have been exhausted. He knew she had been in there crying, because Amelia only cried when no one else was around to see. She only cried in her room.

He leaned back in his bed and got his homework out of his backpack. He was ready to do homework instead of just moping about and worrying over Amelia. After all, he was certain she would talk to him tomorrow about everything that had happened. Kiku just hoped that he could be a rock for her one day. Maybe one day she could trust him enough to cry in front of him.

.

Amelia waited on their shared front porch the next morning for Kiku to come outside. She sat on one of Kiku's family's deck chairs and tapped her foot on the whitewashed boards of the porch. She had slept from her conversation with Kiku all the way until her alarm went off that morning. Amelia guess that she just hadn't realized how tired she really was. Or maybe she just didn't know how tired being sad made her really feel.

Kiku came out a few moments later. "Good morning, Ami-chan," he greeted, smiling to her. "I hope I didn't keep you waiting too long."

"Not at all," she assured with a fake, carefree smile. "I just got out here myself." She reached around and into her backpack to pull out an apple. "Here, I brought this for you. I'm really sorry for getting you in trouble yesterday. You didn't have to take the fall for me like you did."

Kiku smiled and took the apple. "It's fine, Amelia." He took a bite as they began their walk to school. "Did you sleep well?" he asked after swallowing.

Amelia pulled another apple out of her backpack. "Yeah. I slept all through the night and up until my alarm went off. I guess I was really tired." She laughed a little before taking a bite.

"Well maybe you really needed that rest," Kiku said with a nod.

"I guess so," Amelia said after swallowing. "I'm sorry if I worried you last night. I swear that I'm okay. I just have been having a rough time since, well, you know…"

Kiku nodded. "Anyone would have a rough time after something like that, Ami-chan."

"Apparently my dad wouldn't," Amelia bitterly stated before taking another bite of her apple. She chewed on it with a sour expression on her face. "He seems just fine. It's almost as if it doesn't bother him at all that Mom and Allan are gone," she complained after swallowing that bite. "Doesn't he care that two important people in his life are just gone now?"

Kiku shrugged, choosing silence over what he really wanted to say. He took another bite of his apple to distract himself from conversation. His mind began to think of how Frank had changed to him since Grace had passed away. He didn't notice too much of a difference either.

"I wish Allan didn't leave," Amelia softly said. "Why did he have to go to college? I get that it's important, but he left a week after Mom died. He doesn't even call. The only time he ever did was for my birthday this past summer." She frowned and then looked at the apple with a look of disgust. "I'm pretty sure I've lost my appetite," she sighed, dropping the rest of the apple on the side of the street. "I'll leave it for the birds or whatever…"

Kiku frowned. "Amelia, are you eating okay at home?"

"Yeah, I'm fine," she grumbled. "Besides, I need to stay thin if I want to be a pin-up girl."

Kiku sighed. "You still have your heart set on that?"

"Maybe it could save me and get me out of the house and away from my dad," she sighed. "I heard pin-up girls travel all over." She looked up at the sky. "I would love to travel and get out of here, Kiku. And then I'd only come back to visit you and your family."

Kiku smiled a little. "That's kind of you, Ami-chan, but I think you should focus on school and go away to college like your brother did."

"Are you kidding?" Amelia groaned. "I'm not smart enough for that." She looked over at Kiku. "You're the only kid in our house who has a chance at college, Kiku."

"That's not true. I know you're smart," Kiku defended. "You just have to try and believe in yourself."

"How am I supposed to believe in myself when no one else does?" Amelia demanded, whirling onto Kiku. Tears stung her eyes, threatening to escape. She stopped walking and just stood there, breathing heavily as she faced her neighbor boy for a moment before turning away quickly. "I just don't want to do anything regarding school, okay? I hate school."

Kiku nodded in understanding. "Okay, Amelia," he said, stopping as well. "Here, I'll let you gather your bearings before we continue walking."

"Stop," Amelia softly said. "Don't be so nice to me. I don't deserve it. I don't deserve friends. All I do is get you in trouble." Her father's words to her the night before were stuck in her head. She was always getting Kiku into trouble. "You would be better off with someone else for a friend."

"But I already chose you," Kiku told her. "And I like the decisions I make in my life."

Amelia looked over at him. "Why do you say things like that to me?" she asked. "Why are you so nice to me when all I do is make you life hell?"

"You may think that you make my life hell," Kiku began, "but what you actually do is give me a life. If it weren't for you, I'd be one of those normal Asian kids always doing homework or reading. With you, I am always doing something. We could be out riding your bike on a nice day, or walking to school together like this. No other kids at school really talk to me, you know. So why wouldn't I want a friend like you?"

Amelia shook her head. "You know, I don't think I'll ever truly understand you," she began, "but thanks for sticking around me anyway. Even if I put you through a lot of bullshit."

"What else are friends for?" Kiku asked with a laugh. "Now come on, let's get to school."

Amelia nodded and walked with him. She didn't understand that boy at all. He had so much going for him, yet he chose to hang out with someone like her, a girl with no real future. And he seemed to be perfectly fine with it. She decided to shrug it off. Maybe time would tell.


	2. Chapter 2

December 5, 1941, Los Angeles, California

Amelia stood in Kiku's room as he checked over her homework. "So how did I do?" she asked, leaning over him from behind. "I did amazing, didn't I?" She smiled proudly and puffed her chest out with pride. "I already know I did. I tend to be pretty amazing with writing essays."

"Is this even English?" Kiku sighed, looking over the essay she had written. "My first language isn't even English and my essay is more literate than yours, Ami-chan." He raked his fingers through his hair. "Do you want me to just write your essay for you?"

"No!" Amelia defiantly stated. "How will I ever learn to write an essay if I don't do it myself?" she demanded, snatching it from his hands. She sighed and crumpled it up before tossing it into the garbage can by his desk. "This is why I want to be a pin-up girl, Kiku! But somebody doesn't approve of that!"

"Well if you want it so badly, why does my opinion matter so much?" Kiku asked, looking up at her from his own homework. His dark eyes met her blue ones and held her gaze evenly.

Amelia looked away, blushing furiously. She then looked over at Kiku. "Look away for a second," she told him. She hiked her skirt up more and folded it up at the top, making it much shorter so it ended halfway down her thigh. She then unbuttoned her shirt to her bra line and then tied it in a neat bow just under it and unbuttoned it a bit at the top, leaving only one button done. "Okay, now look at me, Kiku," she said, placing a hand on her hip and bending one knee like she had seen some models pose.

Kiku turned to her and his jaw dropped. "Ami-chan!" he exclaimed, face turning red. "What did you do?" He wanted to look away out of respect to her body, but he couldn't bring himself to. It made him feel like a pervert. "Amelia, please put your clothes back to the way they were…"

"Why? Why does this bother you so much?" she asked, frowning. "I think I look beautiful and sexy this way."

"Why else do you think I'm asking you to?" Kiku demanded. "You think I don't think that as well? Now please do as I asked."

"Did you just indirectly call me sexy?" Amelia asked, leaning toward him. She smirked at him, knowing that from the way she was positioned more of her cleavage was showing. Like her mother, she was quite a busty girl.

"Amelia, please," Kiku practically begged, flustered. "Cover yourself. I'm a male, in case you are forgetting."

"Oh, I haven't forgotten," Amelia assured with a smile. Her smiled turned to a wicked grin. "But flustering you is so fun."

"Amelia, you're here for homework!" Kiku exclaimed. "Now stop that and come write your damned essay!"

Amelia blinked in surprise. If anything, Kiku never swore, at least not around her. She quickly fixed her shirt and skirt before sitting on Kiku's bed, letting him cool down. It scared her, because Kiku never got mad at her. "I'm just going to sit over here for a few," she quietly said.

Kiku knew what she was doing. He bit his lip and got up. He put his hands in his pockets and sat next to Amelia on his bed. "Ami-chan, it's fine," he told her. "I just couldn't handle seeing you like that is all. I just can't do it."

"Why can't you?" Amelia softly asked. "I would think if anyone could, you could. We took baths together when we were kids, for God's sake."

"Ami-chan, that was when we were kids," he said, blushing. "We didn't know about things like sex or any of that back then…" He looked away, feeling hot. "That was back when I thought all girls but you were gross."

"What did you think I was then?" Amelia laughed.

"Exceptionally gross," Kiku answered before sticking his tongue out at her.

Amelia laughed, pushing him playfully. "Yeah right," she giggled. "Tell me, Kiku, what do you really think."

"What do I really think?" Kiku asked, confused. "What do I really think of what? I don't understand what you're trying to ask."

"Me, you moron," Amelia groaned. "What is your honest opinion of me? I want to hear your honest opinion of how much of a loser you think I am. I want to know how much of an idiot you think I am. I know you think I'm an idiot who will never make it to be anything in life and that's why I rely on my plan to be a pin-up girl."

Kiku shook his head in disbelief. "Why would you think such a thing?" he asked, astonished. "I think you can do anything you put your mind to. Sure, you do have the body to be a pin-up girl. There is no doubt about that. But I think you can do other things first and just use that as a last resort."

"You really think that?" Amelia asked, shocked.

"Would I ever have a reason to lie to you?" Kiku asked. "What would I ever benefit from that?"

Amelia shrugged. "I have no idea. You tell me." She thought for a moment, chewing her lip a little as she did so. "Prove to me that what you say is true."

"Prove it?" Kiku asked, looking to her. He blushed as he realized what she meant. "No," he said, shaking his head. "No, Ami-chan. You're just being silly and ridiculous." His heart began to pound in his chest when she raised an eyebrow at him. "Please don't make me. I can't."

"Why can't you?" Amelia asked. "I can't be the one to make every move all the time, Kiku. You have to do something at some point."

"Making moves?" Kiku asked, confused. "What are you talking about?"

"Why else do you think I would make myself look like a pin-up girl in your fuckng bedroom?" Amelia hissed at him. "It's because I wanted you to do at least something."

"Something?" Kiku asked. "Like what?" He was almost in panic mode. He didn't know what to do, having been raised to respect all girls and their space and boundaries. Now he had no idea what to do since Amelia was now claiming that she didn't want any boundaries. "What do you want me to do?"

Fed up with his questions, Amelia grabbed his hands and placed one on each of her breasts over her shirt. "Something like that," she said, blushing.

Kiku's blush matched hers as he looked away. "Amelia, I don't know what to say."

"You're not supposed to look away," Amelia sighed. "You're supposed to look at me and talk with your eyes. Haven't you ever done something like this or seen it done in movies or read it in books?" Her face was completely red by that point. "Look, I'm embarrassed as well, but just do it." Then she was filled with dread at the thought that maybe Kiku didn't really like her that way.

Kiku struggled to look her in the eye. He was more nervous than he had ever been in his life, but he had no words to express it as he looked into her beautiful blue eyes and felt lost for words. His hands remained where they were as he gulped. "Ami-chan, I…" His voice trailed off. He couldn't do it. He couldn't say what he really wanted to say.

"If you can't say it, then show me," Amelia stubbornly stated. "I'm not leaving your room until you make a move by yourself. I want you to do something for yourself today, Kiku, okay? I'm tired of you always doing everything I want to do. I'm tired of always initiating everything. You initiate something for a change. Don't think I don't see the way you look at me when you think I'm not looking."

Kiku gasped in surprise. "The way I what? And just exactly how do I look at you?"

"You look at me the way your dad looks at you mom at the end of a long day at work when she made his favorite meal and it's ready by the time he gets home," Amelia answered. "You look at me like you're so in love that the sun wouldn't rise without me. I figured you out about a year ago, Kiku Honda. And to be honest, I'm so damn tired of waiting for you to make a move, so that's why I'm telling you to just do it!"

Kiku gulped. "You're that adamant about it?" he asked, eyes wide. "Why is this so important?"

Amelia shrugged. "I'm just tired of waiting, I guess. You know how impatient I am. I've waited a year, so just do something! I'm begging you!"

Kiku leaned in slowly and gave her a soft, quick peck on the lips. "How was that?" he asked.

"I didn't wait a whole year for something as unsatisfying as that!" Amelia complained. "That was so anti-climactic!" She grabbed the Japanese boy by the collar and kissed him passionately for a good moment or two. Her face was flushed when they pulled apart and she had to struggle to catch her breath. "And once more," she panted, "I had to do it."

Kiku didn't have the breath to argue with her. He was in shock. He had finally kissed Amelia, and even got to second base with her. There was barely anything else he wanted more than that from her, other than her virginity, which he was willing to trade his for. And to think he thought she was just coming over for homework that day. How silly of him to think something like that now that he thought of it. Amelia barely ever came over just for homework. She usually wanted something else to go with it. Now he knew what she wanted this time. Personally, he didn't mind at all.

She smiled over at him. "Does it bother you that I stole your first kiss like that?"

"How would you know if that's my first kiss?" Kiku huffed. It had been, but it wasn't like he'd admit that to her.

"Kiku, we're hardly ever apart from each other," Amelia laughed. "Plus we tell each other everything. I would know if you had your first kiss with someone else."

Kiku shrugged. He couldn't argue with that logic at all. Once more, she was right. "Okay, you've got me there," he admitted.

Amelia giggled. "Oh, Kiku," she sighed. "I know almost everything about you, and vice versa. What don't we share, you know? So it looks like we're good." She giggled again. "I don't know why I'm giggling so much right now, though."

"It's because you finally had your first kiss, and it was a forbidden one," Kiku answered with a smirk as he got up and went back to his desk to do homework.

"Forbidden?" Amelia asked, cocking her head to the side in confusion.

"You know how racist people are," Kiku sighed, sitting down at his desk. "No one wants the races to mix anyway. That's why I thought my fancying you was a lost cause."

"Mixing races?" Amelia asked. "I don't get it. We're both America, right?"

Kiku sighed. "You don't get it, do you?" He frowned but made sure she couldn't see. "I'm a different race from you, Amelia. I'm Japanese, or Asian, and you're white. We're completely different races. Haven't you ever noticed that?"

"I've noticed your skin is a little darker than mine," Amelia softly said. "And that your eyes are shaped differently than mine. But that's about it."

"That's all it takes for people to hate the idea of us ever being together in the future," Kiku softly told her, trying to focus more on his homework and less on explaining why they could never have a happy life together.

Amelia shook her head. "But that's not fair," she said, frowning. "That's not fair, Kiku. It's not like you're black! Because you're not. I didn't even know you were another race from me!"

"Everyone else at school does," Kiku said. "I'm the only Asian at an 'All-White' school. The only reason I'm there is because my father is a doctor. How could you have never noticed such an important detail?"

"Because I never thought something as stupid as the shade of your skin or the shape of your fucking eyes would matter!" Amelia almost yelled, becoming more and more upset by the minute. Tears of anger stung her eyes. Why had no one ever told her this?

Kiku knew he had to calm her down before his mother heard her and came in, demanding an explanation. "Ami-chan, please calm down," he softly said. "I can't have you upset like this. Okaasan will come in here and want to know what I did to make you do this. She'll never believe that this is the reason why."

Amelia wiped at her eyes. "I just can't believe this," she whispered. "I can't believe that I waited this long only to be shut down for such a stupid reason."

Kiku frowned. He felt bad for her. "I know," he sighed. "It really is a stupid reason, Amelia. But there is nothing I can do about it."

"My dad will be out of town tomorrow night," Amelia slowly told him. "Can you come stay with me? I don't want to be alone on that side of the house…"

Kiku nodded. "Yeah, since it's a weekend, I should be able to."

"Sleep in my room with me," Amelia softly said. "We'll just tell them you're sleeping in Allan's old room." Her blue eyes pleaded to him. "I don't want to be alone, Kiku."

How could he say no when she put it that way? "Okay," he said with a nod. "I'll stay with you."

Amelia smiled a little. "You've brightened my mood a little," she said. "Just come back over here and sit with me."

Kiku sat back in his chair and thought it over. "At least let me finish the page of homework that I was on," he stated.

She thought about it for a moment. "I guess you can," she jokingly groaned, smiling. She laid back on his bed, planning the next night in her head. If anything, Amelia wanted it to be special. That was the most important part of all of it.

A few minutes later, Kiku joined her back on the bed. "Why did you want me over here?" he asked her. "You seem to be just fine over here without me, and I have a lot of homework over there on the desk…"

"So I can do this," she said, tackling him onto the bed and kissing him. She giggled against his lips.

Kiku was a little surprised at first but quickly kissed back, smiling as well. After all, he was finally able to kiss the girl of his dreams. That was enough to keep him smiling for months.

.

Amelia sat with Frank at the dinner table that night. The meal had been completely silent so far, save for the clinking of silverware on the plates. It was driving Amelia insane, but it wasn't like she wanted to talk to her father anyway. In fact, he was usually the last person she wanted to talk to.

"Are you going to be fine here by yourself tomorrow night?" Frank asked her, looking up at her with the brown eyes that her brother had inherited.

Amelia glanced up at him. "Kiku is going to stay in Allan's old room," she quietly stated. "I won't be alone. You know how much I hate being alone."

"I'm surprised you remembered that I was going to be out of town tomorrow night," Frank stated. "You usually forget anything that doesn't revolve around you."

She wanted to tell him that she could never forget how happy she was on days he wasn't around, but chose to keep that to herself, knowing that was the wisest thing to do. "I remembered," was all she said, ignoring his hateful comment. There was so much more that she wanted to say, but he was already on his second beer of the night, and she didn't want to get hit.

"Make sure you lock up tomorrow night, got it?" Frank asked, eyeing her over his beer bottle.

Amelia nodded. "I got it, Daddy," she stated. She looked down at her empty plate. "May I be excused? I have an essay to write that is due on Monday."

Frank smiled. "That's my girl," he proudly said. "Getting a headstart on homework. Keep that up and you'll be in college like Allan before you know it. Go on ahead, Amelia."

She nodded to him and kissed his cheek as she walked past him to put her dishes in the sink. It was her job to do dishes, but she liked to do them after her father moved to the living room to read the newspaper or watch the television. She was almost relieved at how fast he was going through the beers that night. He would be asleep earlier than usual.

Amelia hurried up to her room and sat at her desk to work on her essay. Since she said she was working on homework, she knew her father wouldn't come up and bother her. He was always harping at her to do better in school anyway, wanting her to be like her brother. She always felt he wished he had two sons instead of a son and a daughter, but she never spoke about it aloud, not even to her mother when she was alive. She didn't want to trouble anyone with the thoughts that kept her up at night, thinking that no one else deserved to be kept up either.

Her pencil moved across the paper as her thoughts wandered further and further into the depths of her mind. It was becoming dangerous territory. If she kept thinking, she knew, without a doubt, she wouldn't be able to come back out until morning. She stopped writing and held her head in her hands. "Stop," she whispered to herself. "Stop thinking about it."

A soft series of knocks from the other side of the wall brought her out of that state. Are you there?

She breathed a sigh of relief and smiled. Whether he knew it or not, Kiku had amazing timing! I am here. What is going on?

I can stay with you. My parents told me it was okay.

That is great to hear. I told my dad you were staying. He has no problem with it at all.

Great. I thought I would tell you really quick. I have to get back to homework now. Have a good night, Amelia.

You too, Kiku.

She sat patiently and waited for him to knock again, but he didn't. She sighed quietly in disappointment. Deep down, she knew that if she knocked again he would respond, but she didn't want to bother him with something so stupid. It wasn't like she couldn't handle things going on in her own head. If anyone could do it, she could.

Amelia pushed the paper away from her, realizing she had no idea what she had been writing for the past fifteen minutes. She would have to restart in the morning anyway. Letting out a sigh, she leaned back in the chair and looked up at the ceiling. It was so depressing to be caught up in her mind like that. She just wanted her thoughts to leave her alone. Why couldn't she just think about something else?

She tried to think of Kiku and how happy he made her. Her thoughts trailed to the kisses they shared this past afternoon. A light blush dusted her cheeks as she remembered what she had done to lead up to their first kiss. Even she couldn't believe how bold she had to be to make that happen. But what else could she do? Kiku had been so oblivious! So painfully oblivious!

Next, her mind drifted off to what she wanted to do with him the next night. Her face flushed and turned a dark shade of red. What she wanted to do was unspeakable to the people who thought the races should never mix, because that was exactly what she wanted to do. She wanted to get her kicks while she was still young. She wanted to experiment, and why not do it with the boy who had held her heart since she found out it was okay to like boys?

Amelia sighed as she stared up at the ceiling. She wondered if Kiku was having these sorts of thoughts, or if boys in general ever thought things like that at all. She personally didn't know how a boy's mind worked, but hoped that hers didn't work too differently from Kiku's.

Little did she know that Kiku wasn't actually working on homework. He was busy thinking about all the same things as her.


	3. Chapter 3

December 6, 1941, Los Angeles, California

Amelia sat on her couch and waited for Kiku to arrive. Her father had left over an hour ago, and she was feeling lonely and anxious. She wanted Kiku to just hurry up and get there already! Why was he taking so long when he knew how important this night was to her?

She jumped when she heard a knock at her front door. She quickly got up from the couch and ran to it. Opening the door, she noticed it was Kiku and ushered him right in. Nothing made her happier than seeing him. It was as if there were a current of numbing fuzzy feelings going through her veins, and she loved it!

His lips met hers as soon as she had closed the door, his arms circling her waist. He brought a hand up to tangle into her curls as he kissed her. Yet his one arm stayed gentle, yet firm, on her waist. Kiku's tongue licked at her lips, eager to taste inside.

Amelia gasped against his tongue, opening her mouth just enough for his tongue to slip through. She wasn't expecting it, but was pleasantly surprised by it. Her arms circled around his shoulders as her tongue twisted around his happily. She wanted nothing more than to keep kissing him. She wanted even more and that if she was honest with herself.

Kiku was slowly becoming overcome by lust. He was becoming more and more aroused with every passing moment. It wouldn't be too long before he would be longing to see her in the manner of dress that he saw her in the day before, dressed like a pin-up girl, and then wanting to see her in nothing at all, which he hoped was what she desired as well.

Amelia felt her body growing hotter and hotter with every passing minute. She felt as if she were overheating. All she wanted was to take her clothes off, but she was almost certain Kiku would deem that as improper. It took all of her willpower to keep her clothes on as the kisses became more and more heated.

"Ami-chan," Kiku softly said, breaking apart from her. "There is something I must ask of you that I hope you won't be upset with me for asking of you."

"Yes?" Amelia asked, cheeks flushed from arousal and internal heat. She struggled to catch her breath. Her blue eyes met his brown ones. "Anything for you, Kiku."

"Remember how you made yourself look like a pin-up girl in my bedroom yesterday?" he asked. His breath hitched as he imagined it, not even noticing her nod. "Could you do it again?" He blushed deeply, realizing what he was asking of her. Kiku felt ashamed of himself for even asking.

"Are my shorts short enough already?" Amelia asked, directing his attention to her legs.

Kiku noticed them and realized that her fingertips went past her shorts. "Hai," he said, nodding. "They are." He smiled and touched her thighs gently. "You have such beautiful legs, Ami-chan."

"Arigato," Amelia said as she unbuttoned her shirt. Instead of tying it up, she just took it off, sporting only her bra. "Is this good enough, Kiku?" she asked, posing against the wall like a pin-up girl and sticking her chest out toward him.

The Japanese boy's eyes widened. "Ami-chan," he gasped in shock. "I just never thought you would get this way toward me."

"Get what way, Kiku?" she asked, leaning forward so her chest would look bigger. "What way do you mean?"

"I never thought I would ever spark your interest," Kiku admitted. "I never thought you would fancy me, Amelia." He blushed. "But now here we are, two teenagers filled with lust and possibly love as well. At least there is love on my end."

"And there is love on mine as well," Amelia assured as she jumped into his arms and wrapped her legs around his waist. She kissed him passionately and deeply. "I love you, Kiku Honda." Her face was even more red once she pulled away. "Though now I have a request of you."

"What is that, Amelia?" Kiku asked, heart racing. He wondered how far Amelia would want to go with him. He wondered if he would go home a virgin in the morning. As he had recalled, she had mentioned wanting to sleep in the same bed that night. Could she have meant she wanted to have sex with him?

"I want to do more than just kiss you," Amelia told him, blushing. "I'm tired of being a virgin when a lot of my girl friends aren't. I want you to be my boyfriend, first of all." She looked away as she continued with, "And I want you to have sex with me."

Kiku's eyes got even wider. "Boyfriend?" he asked. "You really want me to be your boyfriend? Even though I'm Japanese?"

"What difference does that make?" Amelia asked. "Of course I want you to be my boyfriend! And I want you to make love to me tonight!" She ground her hips against his in a seductive manner. "Please, Kiku?"

The Japanese boy's eyes closed with pleasure. "Of course," he said, trying to keep his moans inside. He didn't want to embarrass himself. "I will do anything you'd like me to do to and for you tonight."

Amelia grinned. "Then take me up to my bedroom and we'll start with the magic," she whispered into his ear before nibbling lightly on his earlobe. "Because in my bedroom, your parents won't hear us."

That got Kiku to carry Amelia upstairs and into her room. He placed her gently onto her bed and kissed her deeply, sitting next to her. She crawled into his lap and straddled his hips after taking off her shorts so she was in her bra and panties. Amelia leaned into him and kissed him until she was lying on top of him on the bed.

"Are you sure about this, Amelia?" Kiku asked. "I want to know that you're absolutely sure about this."

"How many times do I have to say this?" Amelia asked. "Kiku, please just make love to me tonight! Even if it's only tonight, just please do it! It's the only night we have for right now, and I want to be yours and only yours!" She unhooked her bra and took it off, exposing her large breasts to him. "So what do you say? Will you?"

Kiku, being a teenage boy who had been dreaming for this day to come since he knew what sex was, couldn't take his eyes off of the neighbor girl's bosom. "Yes," he said when he could finally find the words to speak. "I will do this. I will make love to you and I will do it all night if you would like me to."

"I would love for you to," Amelia said, voice dripping with lust as she sat up on his things and arched her back, grinning. "Now what shall we do about your clothing, Mr. Honda? I shouldn't be the only one who is mostly naked, should I?"

Kiku blushed. "N-No, you shouldn't be," he stammered. "I'll get right on that as soon as..." He then realized how incredibly aroused he was and how his pants were hiding that fact. It embarrassed him to even think about Amelia seeing that he was already almost fully erect.

"As soon as what?" Amelia asked, coaxing him into a sitting position. She then pulled his shirt up over his head. "Kiku, take your clothes off as well. It's only fair." She kissed across his collarbone, causing Kiku's breath to hitch and his body to shudder. Neither of them had ever been this aroused before. Amelia loved the feeling of it.

"Are you sure?" Kiku clarified when she reached for the top of his pants. He placed his hand over the button and top of the zipper.

Amelia put her hands on her hips and stuck out her chest, her breasts bumping into Kiku's bare chest and sending an electrifying current through both of them. She moaned out softly for a moment as the current went through her. "I'm sure," she said once she had regained control of herself. "I'm most definitely sure."

Kiku then moved his hands. "Then I will allow it," he slowly said as he took a deep breath.

Amelia reached for the button and zipper, slowly undoing her newfound boyfriend's pants. She pulled the pants off and they both sat there in their underwear, blushing when they realized how aroused Kiku really was. Her instincts kicked in as she then shimmied out of her lace panties and kicked them to the laundry basket in the corner, rendering her completely naked in front of him.

"What?" she asked, placing her hands on her bare hips. "It's not like you haven't seen me like this before. We took baths together as kids, remember?"

"Amelia, that was before you turned into a woman," Kiku struggled to say as he tried not to stare too much.

She gestured to every last inch of her womanly figure as if she were on a game show on TV. "Take it all in, Kiku. This is all yours for as long as you want it," she told him, grinning widely. She placed her hands back on her hips. "What do you think, Kiku? Do you like what you see?"

Kiku nodded. "Of course I like it," he assured. "I like it a lot, Ami-chan."

"How can I know for sure if you won't let me see how much you like it?" Amelia teasingly asked with a wink, gesturing to his lap. "Why don't you get to the way I am? Bare it all for me, Kiku. Let me see for myself what you really like."

He felt his face grow hot when he realized she was serious. She really wanted him naked as well! Kiku realized he had nothing to lose and stood before discarding his underwear as well. "Well, what do you think?" he asked.

"I like what I see," Amelia said, smiling. "I like it a lot." She winked at him. "It looks perfect to me." Her footsteps made no noise as she walked across her carpeted bedroom floor and eased him back down onto her bed. "Now comes the part I've been dying for." Her blue eyes held a lusty gaze in them. "Kiku Honda, make me yours. I don't care what you do to me specifically, just please make me your girl."

Kiku smiled. "I would gladly do so," he said. "It's just that me being right here isn't my place."

"It's not?" Amelia asked, confused.

He shook his head, standing up. "Not at all." He then gently placed her onto the bed. "It's yours, Amelia."

She gasped and then realized this was it. It was really going to happen. She was going to lose her virginity to Kiku! Her heart began to race as he came closer to her and she began to squeal excitedly as she reached for him. She moved back further on her bed, making room for him as she spread her legs to make room for him there as well.

Kiku realized what she was doing and smiled. "You're already prepared?" he asked, laughing.

"I've seen some of my father's pornography," she admitted. "So I know how it's done."

Kiku laughed for a moment. "Then let's recreate our own but without the cameras," he joked.

Amelia laughed as well. "Sounds perfect to me," she said, pulling him down on top of her. "If you'd like, you can follow my lead."

"Don't think you're the only one who has seen pornography, Amelia," Kiku softly said. "I've seen my own fair share of it. I'll take the lead from here on out."

Never had three sentences turned her on more as she gladly let him lead from there.

.

December 7, 1941, Los Angeles, California

The next morning, Amelia's body felt heavy with dried sweat and other things as her hair felt tangled. She felt amazing and slightly sore as she stood. Her eyes wandered over to Kiku, who laid in his pajamas in her bed. She noticed she was wearing pajamas as well before remembering that they had decided to put clothes on in case of her father coming home early.

Amelia smiled and kissed Kiku's cheek. "You were amazing last night," she whispered to him. "I'm going to take a shower. I'll be out in a bit."

Kiku, still mostly asleep, nodded and waved her off so he could go back to sleep. He was still exhausted from having sex three times in one evening and into the night.

She smiled and went into the bathroom, humming happily as she went on her merry way. Everything seemed so right and perfect to her. It were almost as if she were in her own, little world that Sunday morning as she cleaned herself in the shower. She turned on the radio when she got out and brushed the tangles from her hair.

The voices on the radio sounded panicked, so she turned it up so she could listen to it better.

"...bombed! We repeat, Pearl Harbor has been bombed by Japanese air forces!"

Amelia dropped her hairbrush, numb. Surely she had heard that wrong. Where was the lively music that usually played? She decided the try a different station.

"After the attack on Pearl Harbor this morning by Japanese air forces, the military…"

Amelia tuned it out. "No," she softly muttered, covering her ears. It was all lies! The Japanese were not bad people! Not all of them, at least!

She knew how all of it would turn out! Every Japanese family in America was going to get investigated if wherever that was really was attacked by the Japanese. It made her heart ache to think that Kiku's family would be included in that. It wasn't fair! Someone's race or nationality should never matter like that!

Tears streamed down her face as her mind took the information given to her via radio and ran with it, making it all into something that it wouldn't turn into. She doubted the Americans would go that far. There was too much going on already. They were preparing to go to war in Europe. They didn't have time to bother with the Japanese here. She needed to stop overthinking everything. Kiku and his family were going to be just fine. She had to believe that.

Either way, she quickly made her way back to her room, sniffling. She got back into bed and snuggled next to Kiku, who immediately detected her distress and wrapped his arms around her.

"Ami-chan, what is it?" he asked her, opening his eyes. No matter how tired he was, if Amelia was distressed, that was never a time for him to be asleep.

"Pearl Harbor was bombed," Amelia sobbed, unable to say the whole story at once to him.

"Where is that?" Kiku asked, confused. "And why does that matter?" He grew more and more concerned as Amelia grew more and more unstable. "Amelia, why does that matter?"

"Because it was done by a Japanese air force!" she suddenly cried out. "I'm scared, Kiku! What if the government comes after all of the Japanese, including you and your family?"

Kiku held her close and rubbed her back, his heart pounding with anxiety. "Amelia, you're thinking too far into it. My family and I are citizens, just the same as you are. Why would the government come after people who are a part of its country?"

Amelia calmed down some and took a few deep breaths before saying, "You're right, Kiku. You're right. I'm thinking way too far into it. I'm so glad that I have you around. You're always the logical one out of the two of us. I'm surprised you can always be so calm every time I fall apart."

"I'm glad that I can be here for you when that happens," Kiku told her. He smiled and stroked her hair, comfortingly. "I will always be here for you, even if I'm not physically here. I'll always be in your heart."

"Kiku, what do you mean by that? Why wouldn't you physically be here?" Amelia asked, confused.

Kiku bit his lip. "I don't know," he said. "Say you got in a fight with your dad and I was at work in the future or something like that," he suggested. "I'd still be in your heart. All you would have to think of is, 'What would Kiku do?' or 'What would Kiku want me to do?' and maybe things could get better for you."

Amelia nodded. "Yeah," she softly said, smiling to herself a little bit. "You're right. I can't always depend on your being home every moment of every day, can I? You'll have to get a job sooner or later, and so will I."

"Exactly," Kiku said, smiling. Though he was thinking otherwise. He was scared that Amelia's fears were going to come true. He was terrified that the government was going to come for him and his family, but there was no way he would ever admit that to Amelia. "Jobs can be demanding at times. I know my dad is gone a lot."

"Mine too," Amelia agreed with a nod. "What do you think it would be like for both of us to have jobs? That would be different. We wouldn't see each other as much."

"I guess not," Kiku sighed with a frown. He would hate not being able to see Amelia every day. That would be the worst part. After last night, he was helplessly, hopelessly in love with her, and there was no way he would ever be able to change that.

"But I'd make sure to set apart time specifically for you, Kiku," Amelia promised. "I would make sure of it. I mean, you're my boyfriend. What kind of a girlfriend would I be if I didn't?"

Kiku smiled. "Good point, Amelia." He wanted to tell her what he was really thinking, but he just couldn't bear her tears. No more tears of hers that day. He just wouldn't be able to take it.

Amelia snuggled closer. "Kiku, I really do love you," she softly said. "And I'm so grateful to have you in my life." She kissed him softly. "I can't even begin to think where I'd be without you. You're the greatest friend I've ever had, and I'm so happy that you're my boyfriend now. You're the best thing in my life."

"And to think, I didn't cost you a single dime," he joked. "You know what they say, the best things in life are free."

She laughed. "That reminds me of that one song that The Ink Spots sing with Ella Fitzgerald," she said, smiling widely. "The moon belongs to everyone.

The best things in life are free.

The stars belong to everyone.

They gleam there for you and me."

"The flowers in spring,

The robins that sing,

The sunbeams that shine,

They're yours, they're mine," Kiku sang along.

"Yeah, that's the one," Amelia encouraged, smiling. "I love that song." She hummed the rest of it to herself as she snuggled up to Kiku.

"And love can come to anyone.

The best things in life are free," Kiku sang, finishing the song.

Amelia smiled happily. "You have a great singing voice, Kiku," she softly told him, kissing his cheek. "I like it a lot. It makes me very happy."

"Arigato," Kiku said, smiling. He kissed her cheek back. "You are amazing as well, Ami-chan. Your voice may not be exactly like hers, but let's face it, your voice is your own and no one has a voice exactly like yours either."

"You mean it?" Amelia asked, smiling at him.

"I really do," Kiku said, smiling.

Amelia rolled on top of him and kissed him. "I love you so much, Kiku."

Kiku kissed her back. "I love you too, Ami-chan."

And both of them completely forgot about the news of that morning.


	4. Chapter 4

Amelia woke up in Kiku's arms about an hour later. She felt safe and snug, but something didn't seem right. She could tell by the distant pounding that sounded like it was coming from the front door. Her eyes snapped open at the same time as Kiku's as they both remembered the news of that moment. It had to be Kiku's parents!

She ran a brush through her hair quickly before making sure she was presentable as she ran down the stairs to the front door. Throwing it open, she saw an extremely terrified Hatsune and Kento. "Mr. and Mrs. Honda?" she asked, worried. "What is it? What's wrong?" She quickly stepped back to let them in. "Are you okay?"

"Where is our son?" Hatsune asked, stepping in quickly. "Where is Kiku?"

"Okaasan?" Kiku worriedly asked, entering the room. He looked as if he had been awake for hours and had just finished reading or something instead of had woken up just moments before. He ran to Hatsune's side, holding her hands tightly in his. "Nani kangaeten-no? Genki?"

Kento shook his head sadly. "Kiku, we need you to come home with us now," he said, words coming out in a choked and strangled mess. "There is a lot we need to talk about." He looked to Amelia. "We are sorry, Ami-chan, but we need to take him home now."

The family of three bid their farewells to Amelia before bowing to her and leaving her side of the house. Little did she know was that was the last time she would see Kiku for an excruciatingly long time.

.

March 21, 1942, Los Angeles, California

Amelia had known for nearly two months. She wanted to tell Kiku. She had to tell Kiku. But how could she tell him? Their knocking strategy was no way to tell him such an important thing. She had to find a way over to him, even if it meant having to break into his house.

Her stomach had started hurting about a week after Pearl Harbor had been bombed. A few weeks later was her first missed period. That was when she knew it. She had started vomiting every morning and lost her appetite yet still kept eating with her father, nervously pushing her food around her plate. Frank had taken it as a sign of her missing Kiku, which she did, but what he didn't know was that there was a part of Kiku inside of her. A part of Kiku that would remain with her forever.

Amelia laid back on her bed, a hand on her stomach, as she thought of a way to contact Kiku. When she couldn't take it anymore, she walked over and knocked on the wall. Kiku?

There was a moment of silence before the knocks came. Amelia. Are you okay? Why haven't we talked in so long?

I have a problem, Kiku. We need to talk. Now.

We are talking, Amelia.

No. In person.

I can't do that.

Yes, you can. And you will. Come outside. In the backyard. Now.

There was a long silence before she heard him knock. Okay, but it must be quick.

She smiled to herself. See you there.

Knowing she didn't have much time, Amelia ran a brush through her tangled hair and ran down her stairs to her back door. She grabbed the garbage on her way out, looking for a reason to go outside. She also wanted to make her father happy, even though he wasn't home.

Kiku was already outside when she got there. "Ami-chan, this needs to be quick," he stated. "It's dangerous for me to be outside, and even more dangerous for you to be seen talking to me right now."

Amelia frowned. "Look, I have a really big problem," she sighed, putting the garbage bag in the can and putting the lid over it. She walked over to Kiku and grabbed his hands, hoping he wouldn't pull away. "Kiku, I'm…" Her words cut off there. She couldn't do it. She couldn't tell him. There was no way she could do it. Not so boldly like this!

"You're what/" he asked, looking into her eyes. "It's obviously something important or bad if you brought me out here like this to tell me. Now what is it?"

Amelia took a deep breath, trying to give herself a pep talk in her head, even though it really wasn't working. "I'm nothing without you," she softly said. "Please come back to me."

"I can't do that right now, Ami-chan," Kiku softly said, frowning. "It's killing me, too. But this is the way it has to be. No one can know the things we have done together. If anyone found out, it would bring ultimate shame to your family. I don't want that for you." He looked down. "I want you to have a respectable life, Amelia, even if it removes me from it."

"Please don't say that, Kiku," Amelia said, heart shattering at his words. "No. I don't want that. I want you. I need you in my life, Kiku. You don't understand. I love you…"

"I love you too, Amelia," Kiku told her. "But this is how it has to be for now. Until all of the hate disappears, this is how we must live our lives."

Amelia shook her head. "Please don't do this to me, Kiku. I can't take it. I can't do this. Please don't, Kiku. Please," she begged. "I need you. You have no idea."

Kiku's eyes watered as well. "Please don't make this any harder than it has to be, Ami-chan." He kissed her lips softly, his lips lingering on hers for a moment. "Goodbye, my love…"

"No," she begged as he let go of her hands and began to walk toward his own door. "Kiku, no! Please! Please come back here! Please!"

He shook his head. "I will find a way to return to you. Until then, just remember one thing. Every night, we look at the same moon and stars, and every day we're under the same sky. I'm still here with you, even if you can't see me. And I'll always love you, Ami-chan." With that, he went back inside, leaving Amelia in the backyard feeling more lost and alone than she had ever felt in her entire life.

.

A week later Amelia noticed that things had been awfully quiet on the other side of the duplex, but she wouldn't dare knock on the wall. She didn't want to bother Kiku at all. Not now, not ever. Not until he decided to call upon her. She wanted to wait until the day that they would be safe to be in love, and she knew that Kiku would know when that would be.

"Dad, have you noticed how quiet it's been next door?" Amelia casually asked her father that night at dinner. If anyone would know anything, he would, considering he worked for the army and all. He was in the know about what was happening to Japanese citizens and the like.

"Amelia, this won't be easy to say," Frank began, "but the Honda family doesn't live next door anymore."

Amelia's face fell in devastation. "What do you mean? They've always lived there! Ever since Kiku and I were born!" Her eyes filled with tears. "What happened to them? Where do they live now?"

"They live with other Japanese people now," Frank answered slowly. "They live in Owens Valley Reception Center at the moment. It's a nice place for Japanese citizens. They are being well taken care of, and it's only for awhile. For the time being, their home is being rented out to white families until they get back."

"Who's renting it out?!" Amelia demanded. "They own that half of the house! Dad, that's not fair to them! They have rights like we do!"

"Are you going to tell me that the people who bombed Hawaii have rights as well?" Frank asked, looking up over his beer.

"Dad, why are you talking like this?" Amelia asked. "Mr. Honda was your friend. We all used to have dinners together. Mom used to babysit Kiku, and Mrs. Honda used to babysit me and Allan. I don't understand why you're being like this all of a sudden. They're citizens of the United States, just like we are!"

"Don't talk back to me, Amelia," Frank stated. "And don't worry about Kiku. I have shifts at that damn Reception Center every other weekend. I'll be seeing a lot of him. But I'm not passing anything along to him at all, got it?"

Amelia nodded and looked down at her plate of food that she had barely touched. Her appetite was completely gone. "May I be excused?"

"You barely ate a bite," Frank complained. "At least eat something!"

"I'm not hungry anymore," Amelia stiffly stated. "May I please be excuse, Dad?"

"If you get up, you don't get any more food for the night," he warned.

"That's perfectly fine with me," she said, eyes filling to the brim with tears. "Now, may I please be excused?"

"For fuck's sake, don't start crying about it," Frank complained. "Go on, get out of here."

Amelia quickly cleared her plate and ran up the stairs to her room. She didn't even make it to the stairs before her tears began to fall. It wasn't fair! Why did Kiku's family have to be sent away when they didn't do anything wrong? And why did her father get to see Kiku and she didn't? And why couldn't she have told Kiku the most important thing she would ever tell him a week ago when she could have? Why?

Her tears were hot on her cheeks when she heard a soft knock on her door. "Go away," she said. "I don't want to talk right now."

Frank stepped into the room. "Maybe I was a little insensitive," he said. "As I got to thinking about it, I realized that Kiku really was your only friend. Maybe I was being too harsh."

"'Maybe'?" Amelia incredulously asked, hiding her face in her pillows as she curled into a ball, her back facing her father. "I'm more fragile than my brother, Dad! I can't take the harsh reality of this world all at once! I just can't do it!" She began to sob once more. "I lost my best friend! I can't do it! I can't take facing this world alone, Dad! I just can't do it!"

"You don't have to be alone, Amelia," he said, running his hand over her curls as he sat on the edge of her bed. "It's not late to make new friends."

"I don't want new friends!" Amelia wailed. "I want Kiku back! I want my best friend! I want him back so badly that it physically hurts! It makes me sick that he doesn't live right on the other side of my wall anymore! It hurts that I can't just knock to him when I feel lonely anymore! I can't stand it, Dad1 I can't do this!"

"What exactly is it that you can't do, Amelia?" Frank asked, concerned. "What is it that he left you to do that you suddenly just can't do on your own? Amelia Eleanor, you have always been a wonderfully self-sufficient young girl. I've always been proud of your independence. I've always believed that you will go far one day because you have never once had to lean on anyone for support or anything like that. So what is it that you suddenly can't do now that he's gone?"

Amelia shook her head. "I can't tell you what it is. You'll hate me."

"Now let's get one thing straight, Amelia Jones," Frank began. "There are many things you can do in life that can upset me. Hell, they can disappoint me. They could even tear me apart or anger me, but nothing you could ever do will ever make me love you any less. The reason you and I butt heads all the time is simply because you are definitely my daughter. We're both extremely passionate and bullheaded and that is our downfall. But you're wrong, Amelia. I could never hate you, no matter what you may think."

Amelia took a deep breath. "Dad, I don't know how you'll react to this since you're suddenly anti-Japanese," she began.

"He's your boyfriend, isn't he?" Frank said with a smile. "It doesn't take a genius to figure that one out. That's why you're so upset, isn't it? You're upset because you've been separated from the boy you love."

"That's part of it," she softly said. "Dad, Kiku and I did something we weren't really supposed to do…" She bit her lip. "I'm pregnant, Dad…"

Frank's face fell. "You're what…?" He shook his head. "No...There's not way that you're...Not my little girl...No…" He stood up. "I thought your mother and I raised you better than that…"

Amelia frowned. "Mom was my age when she had Allan."

"Sweetheart, that was a different time…" Frank said, trying to process it without exploding on his daughter like he wanted to. "I need some time, Amelia. Give me time." He then stormed out of the room and slammed the door after him.

Amelia cringed, but was glad that it went better than she expected.

Frank avoided her for the next week and a half.

.

April 4, 1942, Owens Valley Reception Center

Kiku wandered the area alone, being cautious of the eyes of the guards watching him. He didn't want to seem suspicious, but that's all there really was to do that day was just aimlessly wander around. His heart ached for Amelia, but he knew that there was nothing he could really do. He just had to wait and serve his time there. Yet what he couldn't figure out was what he was doing his time for. Being Japanese?

It was a little warmer than most days that day, being about fifty degrees fahrenheit that day. Kiku had on long sleeves, but they were rolled up as he walked, the hot sun beaming down on his face. It had been so long since they had nicer weather like this. He hoped it would stay this way for awhile. Then again, the weather always just decided to do what it wanted.

He saw a familiar figure approaching him, but he figured it must be his imagination. There was no way that someone familiar outside of all of the Japanese people he saw every day could be approaching him, but this person looked like someone from back home, though he couldn't quite place who it was. Either way, the person's stance looked fairly angry to him. He began to feel uneasy as he looked around him. Seeing as he was the only person just standing around, it began to make him nervous. It was as if the figure was locked onto him.

As the person got closer, he noticed that they were wearing a guard's uniform. He blinked a few times. Why was a guard coming for him? Why was this happening? He wanted to make a break for it, but he knew that the guard would catch him, so he decided to wait and accept his fate.

When the guard got closer, he saw that it was none other than Frank Jones, his old neighbor. He breathed a sigh of relief until he realized how angry Frank looked with him and that the closer he got, the angrier he looked. But what Kiku couldn't figure out was why Frank was so angry-looking.

"Sir, is there something wrong?" Kiku asked when Frank approached him.

Frank grabbed him roughly by his arm. "Where are your parents?" he growled to him.

"Ow!" Kiku gasped out. "They're in our living space. I could go get them if you would let go of my arm."

"Not a chance, Honda. We're going together," Frank said. "I can't lose you in this crowd. The four of us need to have a nice, long, serious talk."

"About what?" Kiku asked, blinking in shock.

"It's about Amelia," Frank said, glaring daggers at Kiku.

Kiku thought about it for a moment. If it was about his daughter, why would Frank be so angry? He just couldn't wrap his head around anything at that moment because he was so terrified of angry Frank. After all, it may be a Japanese internment camp, but this was Frank's turf. He could probably do whatever he wanted and get away with it. Kiku knew to obey the man.

"Very well, sir," Kiku said, bowing his head to show respect, "I will take you to my parents. But perhaps it would be best not to talk in our home. There are many people there. Outside may suit best."

.

Ten minutes later, the four of them were all seated on a small, wooden bench in an open area outside. Hatsune and Kento were nervous when they saw Frank's expression, both sitting on either side of their son.

"Frank, please tell us what this is all about," Kento said, trying to defend his son. "We don't understand. What happened to Ami-chan?"

"I'll tell you what happened," Frank said, nearly trembling with rage by that point. "Did you know that our children were in a relationship behind our backs?"

"You were?" Hatsune asked Kiku, giving him a look of disapproval. "Why would you keep something like that from us, Kiku? That is disrespectful!"

Kiku gulped. So Frank had found out about their relationship. Something deep down inside of him had always told him that Frank really was racist against the Japanese, but he was never really sure until that moment in time. He nodded. "I apologize, but she wanted it to be a secret, as well as I," he said. "We didn't want people to know, for the sake of her reputation."

"That is noble of you, but you two should have at least told your families," Kento scolded. "How long have you two been in a secret relationship?"

"Since December," Kiku answered, blushing. He didn't understand why Amelia told Frank about it unless if he demanded it of her, but why would he have done that. Something else had to be going on. But what was it?

"You really wasted no time, did you?" Frank angrily demanded of Kiku.

Kento glared at Frank. "And just what is that supposed to mean?" he demanded. "You have no right to come over here and just be rude to my son like that!"

"I have every right when he was sleeping with my daughter!" Frank angrily said back.

Hatsune gasped and looked as if she were about to faint. "You were what?!" she asked Kiku, smacking him with the back of her hand. "How could you disrespect her in such a way?! I am appalled, Kiku Honda! You should be ashamed of yourself!"

Kiku fell to his knees and bowed low in front of Frank, his nose touching the ground. "I am terribly sorry, sir!" he apologized. "I meant no harm by it! It was her choice as well, I can assure you!"

"I don't care whose choice it was!" Frank barked at him angrily. "Sorry will never fix what you have done, Kiku! And to think I trusted you!"

"Please forgive me, sir!" Kiku begged, squeezing his eyes shut and not even daring to come up and look Frank in the eyes. "I cannot bear your wrath and anger toward me!"

"Well you had better bear it, Honda!" Frank shouted. "Because my daughter has to bear something of yours in a few months anyway!"

Kiku's head snapped up as he sat on his knees, looking at Frank. Had he heard him correctly. "She's what?" he asked.

Frank put a boot to Kiku's chest and kicked him onto his back. "You heard me, Honda!" he barked. "She's pregnant with your child! You had better watch yourself from now on, because you've made it onto my list! And that's a place you never want to be!"


	5. Chapter 5

June, 1942, Los Angeles, California

Once Amelia began showing, Frank wouldn't even let her leave the house, ashamed that his daughter would even be pregnant at her age. He would ask her what she wanted that was outside or at the store, and he would go and get it. He had become so strict that he wouldn't even let her talk to other neighbors, knowing that they would immediately know whose baby it was if they found out that she was pregnant.

Amelia had grown quite lonely. Her life was officially the worst. She didn't know what she was going to do. Most days, she would read out loud to her developing child or even talk to it since she didn't have anyone else. The only good thing she saw out of it was that even her own father rarely spoke to her now because he was too ashamed.

Frank spent a lot more time at work, updating the Hondas on Amelia's condition. He knew that her child would have to be brought there when it was a few months old, due to its race. Something inside of him couldn't tell her. He just couldn't bring himself to do it. He knew it was going to hurt her, and the last thing he truly wanted was to hurt her that badly and take away the last thing she could truly cling to.

On most days, Amelia would sit and listen to the radio in her room. It beat just sitting around and doing nothing, which is what she did on every other day. She didn't really have anything else that she could do otherwise. She was pregnant and the sticky summer heat was really starting to get to her. It was just awful and made her feel like she was dying half the time. She just felt miserable everywhere in the house that she went, only feeling relief when she got into a cold bath on occasion. Sometimes even those were too cold and she'd freeze herself out on accident and just overheat again, causing her to become even more miserable than she was before.

Amelia knew that something had to be up with her father, though. She wondered if he secretly knew where Kiku was. She had noticed that he seemed more calm about the baby after going to work one weekend, the first weekend after finding out about it. Her watchful gaze inspected his actions thoroughly and noted all of the changes in his behavior as he seemed to relax a little more around her.

"Daddy," she softly said one night, "you know where he is, don't you?"

Frank stopped drinking his beer for a moment and looked at her over the can. "Know where who is?" he finally asked, setting the beer down. He folded his hands under his chin and rested it firmly on them.

"You know who I'm talking about," she said. "You know where Kiku is. I can tell. And I know you see him a lot. You seemed a lot more relaxed after your first weekend on the job after I told you about the baby. That means you know where he is, Daddy."

Frank was frozen in place for a moment. "And how do you figure all of this?" he asked her. "What makes you think I know where the father of your bastard biracial child is?"

Amelia flinched slightly at his hurtful words, but then again, he was speaking like everyone else would. She knew she would have to get used to them, but it still hurt coming from her own father. "Something just tells me that you work at his camp," she softly said. "Call it woman's intuition or whatever you would like, but I'm pretty sure you know what I mean."

"And what makes you so smart all of a sudden?" Frank asked his daughter. "We all know you only got good grades in school because of Kiku. So why do you think I know where he is?"

"Because he and I are connected now," Amelia answered. "I know you know where he is." Her eyes watered from hormones and the strong emotions she felt for her long-lost lover. "I miss him, Daddy! Why can't you just accept it? Why can't you accept that I'm in love with a Japanese boy? There's nothing wrong with it! You would have accepted it a year ago! Is it because of what happened in Hawaii?! He didn't do that, Daddy!"

"Amelia, you will become an outcast if too many people find out about your baby," Frank informed her. "Is that what you want?"

"If it means I get to love Kiku Honda, then yes," she said.

"You're young, Amelia Eleanor. You don't know what you want."

"Then I suppose you, the man who never pays attention to me unless if I'm in trouble, knows what I want?" she demanded. "Daddy, you don't know me! You don't know a single thing about me! It was always Mom who took care of me, Mom who paid attention to me! You never cared about me! You only cared about Allan because he was your obedient son who never did anything wrong in your eyes! You wish I were a boy! Admit it! Then I would never be pregnant with this horrible abomination!"

She got up from the table and stormed to her room, slamming the door behind her. Tears of hurt and anger streamed down her cheeks as she threw her pillows against the wall that used to separate her room from Kiku's. Now there was a stranger on the other side of that wall, a stranger that she had no desire to know. Amelia screamed until she felt her voice growing hoarse and she felt like she wouldn't be able to keep her eyes open any longer. She relaxed as she laid down and fell into a deep sleep.

.

June, 1942, Manzanar

"Good morning, Mr. Jones," Kiku greeted Frank the following Saturday. "How are you?"

"Listen here," Frank growled at him, "Amelia knows that I know where you are. She slipped this into my pocket last night and I pretended I didn't know it was there when I left this morning. I didn't read it, and I don't want to know what it says." He slid a piece of paper to Kiku without attracting attention. "Just read it when I'm not around."

Kiku's fingers itched to open it right then and there, but he listened to Frank and put the paper into his pocket. "Thank you, Mr. Jones. I will look at it when you are not around." He secretly wondered when that would be. For months, he had been dying to hear from Amelia, any indication as to how she had been doing or how the baby was doing. It killed him how tight-lipped Frank was being about his child, but then again, Frank had to be.

"Go ahead and read it," Frank scoffed, turning away. "I'm out of here." He quickly walked away. "I'll talk to you later, Honda."

Kiku did not have to be told twice. His hand dove into his pocket as he hurried off to the nearest bench with room to sit. He wanted to read that note so badly that he couldn't open it fast enough. His hands fumbled with the paper for a moment before finally unfolding it as he saw her familiar scrawl with the loops and all. He smiled as he saw for himself that it was definitely written by her.

My Dearest Kiku,

How are you doing? Daddy still acts like he doesn't know where you are, but I just know he works with you. I can tell. And I know he'll give this letter to you.

There are many things I wish I could've told you before you were taken from me. The most important thing is that I am carrying your child. I wanted to tell you that day when we were outside together, but I was too scared to, so I chickened out. I know, it's impossible for me to be scared, yet somehow I was.

The baby is doing well as far as I know. He or she is due in the beginning of September, and I can't wait to have it. The summer seems a million times hotter when you're pregnant. There is a whole other person inside of me and I'm always uncomfortable or overheating, without even a moment of peace in between. But I know it will all be worth it when I see our baby's face.

I already know that it will look like you, and I've come up with names already. If it's a boy, his name will be Franklin Kento. If it's a girl, her name will be Grace Hatsune. I decided to name the baby after its grandparents. It started out with me wanting to name my daughter after my mom, and then I couldn't think of a name for my son, so I just decided to do the same with our son's name. I hope you don't mind.

Kiku, I miss you terribly and I think of you every single day. Not a day goes by where I don't want to just knock on my wall and invite you over like I used to. Please be doing well.

I love you more than words can say.

All my love,

Amelia Eleanor

Kiku smiled down at the note he held in his hands as tears pricked his eyes. "I love and miss you too," he whispered to it. "And those names are wonderful, just like you." He kissed the paper and carefully folded it back up as if it would crumble in his hands. Gently putting it in his pocket, he went off to find his parents to tell them what Amelia would be naming their child.

.

June, 1942, Los Angeles, California

Amelia laid back on her bed and read a book out loud, placing a hand on her stomach. She rubbed it softly as she read. It was a normal weekend with her father at work and her home alone, like usual.

Suddenly, she felt the baby move in her stomach, which was a normal feeling by that point. But then she felt it kick her hand and her face lit up with joy. "Hey now," she giggled. "Why are you kicking Mommy like that?" She smiled down at her bulging belly and grinned. "You don't see me kicking you." She poked her stomach, which was a lot harder now that there was a baby in there. "I love you," she cooed at it. "Please kick me again," she said, placing her hand where it was.

Moments later, another soft kick landed against her palm. "There you are," she cooed. "If only Daddy was here to feel his baby kick as well." She sighed, wishing Kiku were there more than ever. "One day, you'll get to meet him, and I know you'll love your Daddy right away. He's the best."

Amelia let her hand drop to her side as she stared up at the ceiling, eyes watering. "Oh, Kiku," she whispered. "I miss you so much. It's not fair that you're not here with me. You were taken from me in the cruelest and most unfair of ways." She covered her eyes with her arm as she whimpered a little. "I won't even be allowed to go to school anymore. Daddy won't let me because of the baby.I'm scared that I'll never have human interaction outside of him and Allan and doctors ever again." Her gasping breaths choked her up as she began sobbing. "It's not fair, Kiku. It's just not fair for either of us."

.

June, 1942, Manzanar

"Kiku, are you going to the dance tonight?" Hatsune Honda asked her son as she walked into the sleeping quarters of their block. She looked at her son, who had been lying on his mattress all afternoon.

"What's the point?" he asked. "There's only one girl whom I desire to dance with, and she's not even here."

Hatsune frowned. "I think you should go. You don't have to dance, but maybe you could socialize. Have fun for once. I know Ami-chan would want you to."

Kiku looked up at Hatsune. "You're right," he told her, sitting up. "She really would. If she were here, she would drag me to that dance whether she could go or not." He smiled to himself. "She would make me go to it and socialize because she would want me to have fun."

"That's right, Kiku," Hatsune said with a nod. "Maybe when you start feeling discouraged about things, you can start thinking of Ami-chan. Think about what she would want you to do," she suggested. "Also, you are old enough to get a job. Maybe you could start to earn some money for the baby while you're here."

"Once again, you're right," he agreed with a nod. "I really should. I'm a father now, and I need to provide for my child." He stood up. "After tonight, I am no longer a child, okaasan," he stated. "I do not wish to be treated as such any longer. I will be a man, a father." Kiku nodded to show that he meant what he said. "I would like you to treat me as such."

"I will," Hatsune told him. She hugged him. "But you'll still always be my little boy. Nothing will ever change that for me."

.

The dance wasn't even all that bad from what Kiku could tell as he walked in by himself. He still wished that Amelia were there with him. She always boosted his confidence in some way, shape, or form whenever she was by his side. Though he did notice that Frank was there, and that he did notice Kiku there was well.

A beautiful Japanese girl walked up to Kiku. "Good evening," she said in broken English. "My name is Rika. How are you?"

"I am well," Kiku answered. "My name is Kiku. Good evening to you as well." He bowed to her to show respect as she did the same back.

Rika smiled. "Would you like to dance with me?"

Kiku cast a glance over at Frank. "I'm afraid that I can't," he said. "I already have a girl back home where I come from, and her father is here watching me. I know he'll tell her if I dance with someone else."

Rika's eyes widened and suddenly her broken English was gone. "You're going with an American?"

"Hai," Kiku answered with a nod.

"You must tell me more about her," Rika said with a coy smile. "I would love to hear more!"

Kiku sighed. "I guess I could. I haven't been able to talk about her to anyone except my parents for months now, so it might feel good to discuss her with someone new for once." He smiled. "Okay, I'll tell you about her."

Rika grinned. "What does she look like?"

"She's the most beautiful girl I have ever seen," Kiku began. "Her eyes are beautifully blue, like the sea after a storm, and her hair is golden like wheat and curls near the ends. It's cut short because when it's long it annoys her and she struggles to get a brush through it and makes me do it."

"You two have always been close?" Rika asked.

"Always," Kiku answered with a smile. "I have always loved Amelia. She has always been the most perfect girl to me, the only girl in my heart. I just wish she knew that long before all of this happened. It's so terrible that she didn't."

Rika frowned. "And now you two are no longer together. That's a tragedy in itself. I wish there was a way for you two to be together again. She sounds wonderful." She smiled. "And you said her name is Amelia? That's such a beautiful name. It reminds me of that pilot we learned about in school, Amelia Earhart. She was called 'America's Sweetheart'. I guess every Amelia is someone's sweetheart, huh?"

Kiku smiled. "I was right."

"About what, Kiku?" she asked.

"Talking about her to someone new does feel good," he answered with a laugh.

A song suddenly came on that made Kiku's eyes widen. He had heard that song play before when he was at Amelia's house and a memory stirred from long before.

.

September 25, 1941, Los Angeles, California

"What do you mean you've never danced with a girl before?" Amelia demanded of Kiku as they stood in her living room together. She placed her hands on her hips. "You're messing with me right now, right?" She heaved a deep sigh when he shook his head. "You're hopeless sometimes, you know that?" Amelia reached over and turned on the radio as a slower song began to play. "Here, this is the perfect song. It's slow and fast at the same time. Place one hand on my hip."

"I don't think I should," Kiku softly stated, blushing.

"Do it," Amelia commanded. She grabbed his hand and put it on her hip. She then placed one hand daintily on his shoulder. Grabbing his other hand, she began to move them in time with the music. "See? It's easy."

"The flowers in spring,

The robins that sing,

The sunbeams that shine,

They're yours, they're mine.

And love can come to anyone.

The best things in life are free," sang the voice on the radio.

"What song is this?" Kiku asked Amelia. "It's nice."

"I don't know," she answered with a shrug. "I just turned on the radio and it was playing. But I do agree with you. It's a nice song." She smiled as she began to hum along. "I really like it a lot."

"The moon belongs to everyone.

The best things in life are free.

The best things in life are free."

As the song ended, Amelia looked up at Kiku. "You're not that bad of a dancer, Mr. Honda," she softly told him. "I would like to dance with you again sometime if you would allow it."

"I'll have to think on that one and then get back to you," he nervously said. He looked calm on the outside, but on the inside, he was so excited that he almost couldn't take it. His nerves were nearly exploding! It almost made him panic.

"Well I hope it's a yes when you do," she teased, moving her arm back to her side. She removed his hand from her hip when he was still too stunned to move, giggling to herself "Kiku, you're really funny, you know that?"

"I guess so," he said, blushing.

She smiled. "Don't ever lose that charm of yours. It's one of my favorite things about you."

.

June, 1942, Manzanar

Kiku blinked a few times as he realized what song it was. He heard the singer so clearly as the words rang out around the hall.

"The moon belongs to everyone.

The best things in life are free."

"Are you okay, Kiku?" Rika asked.

Kiku looked over at her. "It's like a divine message or something," he told her, smiling widely. He looked up at the ceiling. "You know what? I think I'm going to be just fine."


	6. Chapter 6

July, 1942, Los Angeles, California

Amelia laid down on the couch in her living room, wishing it wasn't so hot inside of her house. There was a knock at the door that caused her to turn her head. She was the only one home, and though she knew she wasn't supposed to answer the door, curiosity got the best of her and she found herself walking over to the door.

A boy her age stood there, holding a tin cup and preparing to knock again when she opened the door. He had raven black hair and green eyes. He just stood there in shock for a moment before finding his voice. "Do you have a cup of sugar?" he managed to ask, trying his best not to look at her pregnant belly.

"Yeah, come on in," she said, stepping back to give him room to walk in. Amelia took the cup from him and walked to the kitchen. "Sugar, right?"

"Yes, ma'am," the boy answered. "Pardon my asking, but are you pregnant?"

"Yeah, you wanna make something of it?" Amelia asked, getting the cup of sugar. She walked back into the living room where she left the boy, a hand on her hip.

"Not at all," the boy answered. "But you don't look a day over sixteen."

"It's because I'm not," Amelia softly said. "Today is actually my sixteenth birthday…" She frowned. "My own father forgot. Isn't that just awful? He's ashamed of me, though, so he spends a lot of time away from the house."

"That's too bad," the boy answered. "I'm sorry that he forgot. On behalf of him, I'd like to wish you a happy birthday from us next door. My name is Christopher. I live on the other side of the house."

"I see," Amelia said softly. She sighed. "I remember the people who lived on the other side of the house. They were a Japanese family, but they were very good people. Their son was my best friend in the entire world."

"It must be hard for you to hear that I am living in his home then," Christopher sympathized. "I'm sorry to tell you such troubling news."

Amelia looked up at him. "You're the first person to say something so kind to me since he left," she softly said. "Thank you, Christopher. I appreciate it. It's been so hard without him." She absently placed her hand on her stomach. "We've missed him dearly," she said, looking down at her pregnant belly, "haven't we, little one?"

"He's the father, isn't he?" Christopher asked her.

Amelia nodded. "He is. And our baby will be beautiful. I don't care what anyone says about it, the baby will be the most beautiful baby in the entire world because it will look like Kiku."

Christopher smiled. "I'm glad that you think that way. Maybe there is still some hope left in this world. My family is one of the only families in this town who believes that not all Japanese people are bad. I'm glad that we have the same views. I wish you the best of luck with your baby. If you ever need anything, please remember that our door is always open to you."

"Thank you so much," she said, blinking back tears. "You are such a wonderful person." Before she realized what she was doing, she reached out and hugged him. "Thank you, Christopher."

"It's nothing," he said. "But I don't believe I caught your name."

"Amelia," she said, pulling away and wiping her eyes. "My name is Amelia Jones. I'm pleased to make your acquaintance. I hope that one day we will be better friends."

"I hope the same thing, Amelia," Christopher said. "Well, my mother is expecting sugar from me, so I had better get going. I hope to talk to you again soon. When can I see you again?"

"Please don't come around when my father's red pickup truck is here," she said. "That would be awful. I'll come knock on your back door when I can."

"That sounds great," he said, smiling. "I'll make sure to let my family know."

Amelia smiled and nodded. "Thank you again. I hope whatever you're making turns out great." She watched him leave and then quickly shut the door and went back to lying down, happy that she had finally made another friend. She just wished she had someone to tell. More so, she wished she could tell Kiku all about it.

.

July, 1942, Manzanar

Kiku sat outside in the heat, reading over Amelia's note like he did every morning. He smiled every time. It was like a morning ritual for him. Not a morning went by when he didn't read her note to him. He always felt an overwhelming sense of pride when he read the part about her being pregnant. There was nothing he wanted to do more than raise that child with her.

"Hey, Kiku-kun!" Rika called, prancing over to him. Her jet-black ponytail swished across her shoulders as she reached him. "What are you reading?"

"It's something from my girlfriend," he said, smiling to himself as he folded it up and put it in his pocket. "Something special to me." Kiku looked up at Rika. "What are you up to today, Rika-chan?"

She smiled widely and sat next to him. "The bath was crowded, but I managed to get one in," she triumphantly told him. "So I'm glad about that." She grinned widely. "Kiku-kun, may I ask you something?"

"Hai," he answered. "What is it, Rika-chan?"

"Why do you always look so solemn and serious?" she asked him. "You always look like you're deep in thought."

"It's because I am," Kiku said. "I'm always wondering when this stupid war is going to be over. I have things to do outside of this stupid camp."

"Like what, if you don't mind me asking?"

"There's a girl back home that I need to make sure no other guy will ever have other than me," he said. "If it means I marry her, then so be it. I'll marry her in a heartbeat."

Rika squealed in excitement. "That sounds so exciting! Please tell me more! I never knew you were so romantic, Kiku-kun!" She moved closer to him, smiling brightly. "Tell me all about this girl you plan to marry! I want to know more!"

"Haven't I already told you about her?" Kiku asked. "I told you about her at the dance, Rika-chan." He smiled. "Amelia Eleanor Jones."

"Right," Rika said, nodding, "her. What if you get back to wherever you're from and she's already married?"

Kiku shook his head. "She wouldn't do that to me, Rika-chan. I know that much because of this note. Amelia is all mine."

"If you're sure," Rika said with a curt nod. "I'm just trying to be realistic here. Girls don't wait forever, Kiku-kun, especially if they're white."

"How would you know?" Kikua suddenly demanded, turning to her. "Last time I checked, you're Japanese, just like me! You're not white! You don't know Amelia like I do!" He stood, hands trembling. "I have to go," he stiffly stated before going to his family block.

"Kiku," Hatsune said as he stormed in, "what's the matter? Why are you so angry?"

"Rika-chan was speaking poorly of Ami-chan," he grumbled to himself, sitting in the corner and bringing his knees up to his chest. "I don't like girls like that."

"I think Rika-chan likes you, Kiku," Hatsune said, walking over to her son. "It's not her fault that you already love another. Perhaps you could be kinder to her. Just try to understand her view on things as well."

"I don't want to," Kiku stiffly stated. "Amelia is my world, Okaasan. I don't want anyone else. I only want Amelia and our baby."

Hatsune smiled. "I understand, Kiku. Just please be nicer to Rika-chan is all I ask."

"I will," he told his mother. "But only because you asked me to."

.

The next day, Kiku approached Rika as casually as he could. "Rika-chan, I apologize for my behavior yesterday. I just get very upset when people speak ill of my beloved. She is precious to me and you should not speak of her that way if you do not know her."

"I apologize, Kiku-kun," Rika said, bowing her head. "I did not mean to upset you. I was just very upset."

"But why were you upset, Rika-chan?" Kiku asked. "I just don't understand." He cocked his head to the side. "Please explain it to me."

"Kiku-kun, how dense are you? Did it take you Amelia forever to explain her feelings to you as well?" she asked, confused. "I like you, Kiku-kun!"

Kiku's eyes widened. "You what? After knowing about Amelia, you still feel that way? What is wrong with you?!" He began to slowly back away. "I can't feel that way about you!"

"Kiku-kun, where are you going?" she asked, eyes widening as she realized things were backfiring. "Please don't walk away like this!"

"No," Kiku said, shaking his head. "I have to! You're not who I thought you were! Please just keep your distance until I figure things out!"

Rika watched with tears in her eyes as he walked away. She didn't know how long it would be until he talked to her again, but it made her nervous to think of it. Her tears spilled when she was sure he wouldn't turn around.

.

A Week Later, Los Angeles, California

Amelia was home alone once again, but this time for a whole weekend. She knew that she had time to see Christopher, and she was going to take advantage of that time. Her expectations of his family were high after hearing that they thought highly of the Japanese-American people. She wanted to go over the moment her father left, but she knew that was too early in the morning to head over.

She waited around in her living room for three hours, waiting for a decent time to go to Christopher's back door. Her feet ached from pacing and her back hurt from being on her feet, but she knew that it would be okay. She sat on her couch, knowing that she should wait a little bit longer.

Amelia rubbed her pregnant belly as she began to softly sing to her baby inside of her.

"The moon belongs to everyone,

The best things in life are free.

The stars belong to everyone,

They gleam there for you and me.

The flowers in spring,

The robins that sing,

The sunbeams that shine,

They're yours, they're mine.

And love can come to everyone.

The best things in life are free."

She thought back to when she had first heard that song and then realized that the first time she had heard it was with Kiku. Her smiled turned to a frown. "Sorry, baby," she softly said. "I don't really like this song anymore. Not when Daddy's not here to enjoy it with me."

Her aqua eyes went to the clock. It was around ten o'clock by that point, but she wasn't wanting to get up anymore, having depressed herself by thinking about Kiku. She sighed and rubbed her pregnant belly. Her baby kicked her hand and she frowned. "I know, sweetheart," she softly said. "I miss him, too…"

.

After lunch, Amelia finally went to the backyard and knocked on Christopher's back door. She was nervous and had to take a couple deep breaths before knocking. Her nerves were nearly shot as she waited for someone to answer, secretly hoping that someone would be Christopher.

Christopher came to the door and smiled. "Amelia, hey! I didn't expect you to come here soon! How are you?" He welcomed her in. "I take it your father is at work?"

"All weekend," Amelia confirmed with a smile as she walked in. She looked around at the once-familiar kitchen. It still looked the same, just with different placemats and dining utensils. "It looks a little different in here."

"Yeah," he said. "A lot of their stuff is still here, just in the basement. If you want, I can take you down there and you can have some of his pictures if you'd like."

Her eyes widened in amazement. "You would do that for me?" she asked, smiling. "Really? You mean it?"

"Of course I do," he said. "Some of his stuff was left in my room if you'd like to go through that as well."

"I would love to," Amelia said. "Because some of my stuff was in his room." She bowed her head. "I left some things here on a regular basis because it was like a second home to me." Her cheeks turned pink with blush. "They were simple things like toys from when I was a child and all that. I left some books and stuff like that here."

"Right," Christopher said. "I'll show you where the basement is when my mother leaves to do the shopping. It's just me and her here. My father left us a couple years ago."

"I'm sorry to hear that," Amelia softly said. "That's too bad."

Christopher shrugged indifferently. "It just depends on who is remembering the man. My mother remembers a man who was a great war hero. I remember a drunk who beat my mother. I'm glad that he's gone."

Amelia thought about her own father. "I don't like my own father either, if I'm honest," she softly told him. "He's not a good man at all. He acts as if he is a noble man, but I live with him. I know otherwise." She sighed. "He always adored Kiku until he found out about my baby. Now he can't stand any of us." Her hand went to her stomach. "I just really want Kiku. I miss him so much." She looked to Christopher. "If I could have just one picture of him, I would be eternally grateful to you, Christopher."

He smiled at her. "I'll definitely do what I can for you, Amelia."

She grinned at him. "You are the best!"

.

Christopher led Amelia down a steep staircase, holding her hand to keep her balanced. "It's all down here," he told her. "This is where my mother had me put all of it."

He flipped a switch and a naked light bulb lit up the basement where everything that the Hondas had held dear to them but couldn't take along. Their family photos that hung on the walls were there along with pictures of Kiku and Amelia from their first days of school from kindergarten all the way to the past school year. There were even their old Japanese kimonos and yukatas.

Amelia's eyes filled with tears. "You and your mother are wonderful people for bringing these things down here instead of burning them like all of the other people did," she softly said. "The Hondas would be so happy to know this…"

"We knew it wasn't ours to burn or do anything with," Christopher said, smiling. "And when I saw you a week ago, I knew you were the girl from all of these pictures, so I knew I would have to bring you down here someday. Please take some of the pictures of the boy. I know he would want you to have them."

Amelia walked over to the frames and took out all of the ones of her and Kiku from when they were in kindergarten up until the past school year. "I want all of the ones of us together," she softly said. "And I want some of him alone. And I want one of his whole family together. I want them to show our child."

Christopher smiled. "Never keep that child in the dark about who its father is," he softly said. That would be the worst thing you could do."

"I know it," Amelia said, looking through photo albums. She smiled as she helped herself to some of the pictures. She was flooded with memories by some pictures, remembering good days with Kiku and wishing he were there so they could have many more. "I want to thank you for bringing me down here."

"It's really nothing," Christopher said, blushing.

"To me, it's everything," Amelia told him. "This down here is everything to me. This is my world, my life. Kiku is everything to me."

"I can tell," he said, smiling. "I'm glad that you have found the kind of love people our age only dream of."

"It's a wonderful thing," Amelia said. "But I found it at such a price…"

"Yeah," Christopher quietly said. He frowned. "But keep your chin up, Amelia. He won't be gone forever."

"You're right," Amelia said, looking up at him with confidence. "Kiku will come back to me. I know he will. He'll never lose hope in me. Things won't always be this way. I have to keep believing that for both myself and our baby."

Christopher smiled. "That's the spirit, Amelia!"

She giggled. "And with a supportive friend like you, I think I'll do just fine."

.

That night as Amelia laid in bed, she got out all of the pictures she had collected in Christopher's basement. She looked at each and every one of them, tears forming in her eyes. She couldn't help but feel a strong sense of longing.

Her fingers brushed softly across the pictures, wishing there was a way to go back to those times just by touching them. She sighed. "I miss you, Kiku," she softly said. Amelia brought the picture to her lips and softly kissed it.

The picture was one of Kiku from church. He looked so good in his Sunday best that it made Amelia blush even though he wasn't there. She touched her fingers softly to the picture, wishing it were the real Kiku that she were touching.

"I miss you," she whispered to the picture. "Please come back to me, Kiku. It's getting unbearable without you." She kissed it softly. "I love you, my darling. Never forget that. I'll wait for you as long as it takes. You are my forever."


	7. Chapter 7

September 8, 1942, Los Angeles, California

Amelia woke up with stomach cramps. Her bedsheets were soaked beneath her. She screamed with pain, clutching at her fully pregnant belly. It was the most pain she had ever been in in her whole life. She was certain that she was going into labor.

Frank ran into the room to quiet her down before realizing what was going on. "Amelia!" he exclaimed, running to her bedside. "What's going on?"

"Daddy, I'm going into labor," she panted between contractions. Another contraction hit and she screamed out in pain. "It hurts! It hurts so bad! Make it stop!"

"I'll call the midwife," Frank told her. "Hang in there, Amelia. We'll get a doctor here as soon as we can."

"Why can't we just go to the hospital?" Amelia asked, squeezing her eyes shut and screaming as another contraction hit.

"Because your baby is Japanese," Frank flatly answered. "That's why. Now I'll be right back with a cool washcloth. Hang in there, okay? You can do it, Amelia."

Amelia just laid there and cried as she waited. She bit down hard on her blanket or pillows whenever a contraction hit, trying her best not to scream. It was all she could do to "hang in there" for her father. She was suffering as she felt the baby coming. Her heart was racing. All she wanted was Kiku.

She began screaming, not only from the pain, but also because she just wanted Kiku. Nothing was fair anymore. Amelia couldn't take it anymore. She just wanted Kiku to be there.

.

Amelia laid on her bed as the light of the morning streamed in through her window. Her whole body was sore from having a baby. She remembered fainting once the whole process was done. She hadn't even gotten a chance to hold her baby.

She tried to sit up and sucked in her breath sharply in pain. "Fuck," she hissed to herself. "What is going on?"

"Miss Jones," a woman said. She was holding a bundle of blankets. "My name is Bridgett Smith." She moved an auburn curl out of her face and smiled at Amelia. "You have a very healthy baby girl. And she is very beautiful."

Amelia's eyes widened. "What?" she asked, voice faint from exhaustion. "A baby girl?" Her eyes filled with tears. "She's beautiful?"

"Oh, she's the loveliest baby I've seen in years," Bridgett told her. "Would you like to hold her?"

Amelia immediately nodded. "Yes," she quickly answered. "I would love to hold her." She moved to sit up and almost cried out in the pain, quickly lying back down.

"Let me help you," Bridgett said, placing the bundle in the bassinet near Amelia's bed. She gently helped Amelia into a sitting position, putting pillows behind her to help her sit up better and more comfortably. "Are you ready to see her?"

"Oh, I'm ready," Amelia quickly answered. "And I already have a name for her." She smiled as Bridgett got the bundle from the bassinet. "I can't wait to see this beautiful baby."

As soon as the baby was placed in Amelia's arms, her tiny eyes opened. They looked lazily up at Amelia and then closed once more as she snuggled into her mother's arms. Her features matched her father's. It made Amelia fall in love with her child even faster than she knew she would. Her heart fluttered as she snuggled the baby closer to her.

"What would you like to name her?" Bridgett asked Amelia, holding the birth certificate before the young girl.

Amelia smiled and wrote the name on it. "Grace Hatsune Honda," she answered. "She's named after both of her grandmothers."

"Honda," Bridgett mused. "Is she the granddaughter of Dr. Honda, by any chance?"

Amelia nodded. "That she is."

"I worked for him before he was sent away," Bridgett said. "This is such an honor to deliver his granddaughter." She grinned widely. "I am so pleased. Thank you, Miss Jones."

"I'm glad that you are honored to deliver a baby of mixed race," Amelia said, smiling. "Not many people would be this day and age."

"Japanese people are the same as us," Bridgett answered. "People are people no matter how you look at it. It just seems that people have forgotten that."

Amelia nodded. "I'm glad that you didn't." She smiled down at Grace. "And thank you for delivering my beautiful daughter. Mr. Honda would be pleased."

"You think so?" Bridgett asked.

"I know so," Amelia answered. Her arms snuggled Grace closer. "And I can't wait until the Hondas come back so they can see the baby that you helped deliver."

Bridgett smiled proudly. "Thank you so much, Miss Jones!"

"It's not a problem at all," Amelia answered. "Grace and I would've been lost without you." She smiled up at Bridgett. "I appreciate what you've done."

"I'm glad," she said, wiping her eyes. "You are so kind, Miss Jones."

"Please call me Amelia," the girl replied. "I like that better."

"You've got it, Amelia."

.

September 12, 1942, Manzanar

Kiku blinked in surprise as Frank approached him with an envelope. "Sir?" he asked, confused, as Frank walked away. "I don't understand."

"They're pictures of Grace," Frank huffed at him, turning around.

"Why would you give me pictures of Amelia's mother?" Kiku asked him, growing even more confused. He cocked his head to the side.

"They're not my wife," Frank groaned at him. "They're your daughter."

Kiku's heart skipped a beat and leaped into his throat. "My what?" he asked, voice coming out choked. He ran over to Frank. "How is Ami-chan?" he asked him. "Please tell me she's okay!"

Frank smiled wryly. "Yeah, Kiku," he said, happy to see Kiku so concerned for his daughter. "She's just fine. Before I left home this morning, she was able to get out of bed on her own and feed Grace."

Kiku smiled. "I am glad to hear that. And what about G-Grace?" He choked up a little, saying his daughter's name for the first time, everything suddenly becoming real to him. It hit him that he was a father now.

"She's perfectly healthy," Frank told him. "And she looks just like you. But I can still see a bit of Amelia in there somehow."

"Thank you, Mr. Jones," Kiku said, bowing to him. "I won't keep you any longer." He quickly turned and ran home.

.

Hatsune blinked in surprise when Kiku ran through the door of the block they lived in. "Kiku?" she asked. "What has you so energetic? Is everything okay?"

Kiku sat down on his cot and opened the envelope, pouring the pictures out. He looked at them one-by-one, examining the baby that really did look just like him. "She's beautiful," he mumbled to himself. His eyes filled with tears as he realized he wouldn't be able to hold her or even see her in person until the war was over. The tears slid down his cheeks. "She's so beautiful."

"Who is?" Hatsune asked, walking over.

Kiku looked at the back of the picture and saw her full name written on the back, smiling when he saw her middle and last name. "Grace Hatsune Honda," he answered, wiping his eyes. "My little girl."

Hatsune gasped and looked closer at the picture. "Oh, Kiku, she's beautiful," she softly told her son. "And she was named after her grandmothers. That was such a beautiful thing for Amelia to do." She smiled and kissed the top of her son's head. "Congratulations, Kiku. You now have a lovely daughter." She felt a surge of pride as she looked at the pictures of Grace. "I haven't seen a baby that beautiful in a very long time."

Kiku smiled proudly. "Neither have I," he admitted. "Okaasan, she's so beautiful that I can't help but cry when I see her. I want to meet her so badly."

Hatsune frowned. "I know you do," she softly said. "And I can't guarantee when that will be. Since she's half Japanese, they might try to make her come here once she's old enough. It's hard telling…"

Kiku's eyes widened. "No," he stated. "I would never forgive the laws for taking her away from Ami-chan if that happens. First, they took me away, they can't take Grace away, too! That just wouldn't be fair!"

"Not everything is fair," Hatsune sympathized. "Especially when it comes to war…"

He shook his head. "No," he said. "No one could be that heartless."

"The government can do whatever they choose," Hatsune reminded. "Just remember that. After all, isn't that why all of us innocent people are here?"

Kiku sighed, looking at Grace. "She doesn't belong here, Okaasan. She deserves to live outside of a prison camp. I don't want my daughter living this kind of life."

"Unfortunately, that isn't exactly your choice at this time," Hatsune sighed. She patted her son's head. "But I can understand that you only want the best for her. After all, I wish there was a way to get you back to Los Angeles. You don't deserve this life."

"It seems as if we're both at a loss, huh?" Kiku asked her, frowning. His gaze went back to the baby in the pictures as he prayed that she would never have to join him in Manzanar.

.

Mid-October, 1942, Los Angeles, California

Amelia smiled down at her small daughter. She was now a little over a month old and Amelia felt so proud of her little girl every day. Her heart soared whenever she looked at Grace, thinking she looked just like Kiku. It made her so happy to look down at a face so familiar. She looked forward to every day with her little girl, knowing that she would be spending it with a little piece of Kiku.

She picked up Grace and went downstairs to get a bottle out of the fridge. She was unable to nurse her daughter for long, breastmilk growing thinner and thinner until she had finally dried up. It had upset her at first, but she knew things like that happened, or so Bridgett had told her before she had stopped coming around.

That didn't bother Amelia. She was glad to have alone time with Grace, where she could just look at the beautiful girl that she and Kiku had created together. Her smile was always present when she looked at that girl, and there were always tears present as well as she wished that Kiku could be there to see his little girl as well.

"Daddy will come home soon enough, Grace," she would always tell the usually-sleeping infant. "And when he does come home, he's going to hold you and love on you just as much as I do, I promise. I know that Daddy loves you very much. And something tells me he's dying to meet you. Then again, who wouldn't be?" She sniffled a little. "You're beautiful, Grace, just like him."

Her sniffles turned into full-blown sobs as she held the baby closer to her. She wanted Kiku so badly that she almost couldn't stand it. "Grace, I'm trying to be strong for you! I'm trying to hard!" she sobbed. "It's just so hard without him!"

Frank knocked on the door and walked in. "What's wrong this time, Amelia?" he asked his daughter, quite used to her crying by that point.

"Nothing," Amelia bitterly stated, wiping her tears away with a frown. "It's nothing, Dad." She went back to snuggling Grace, who had begun to cry when Amelia's tears hit her face. "Oh, Gracie, it's okay," she cooed at her daughter.

"About Grace," Frank began, stepping further into the room.

Amelia looked up at the mention of her little girl. "What is it?" she cautiously asked.

"She's Japanese," Frank slowly began.

"She's only half Japanese," Amelia argued, holding Grace closer. She could tell what her father was going to say next, the conversation that she had been dreading. This was the conversation where she would be told the government would be taking Grace away to live with Kiku. "If you're going to tell me that I have to give up Grace to Manzanar, then I promise you that the two of us will disappear next time you fall asleep and you'll never see either of us again," she threatened. "Is that what you want, Dad?"

Frank paused. He hadn't been expecting that kind of a response. "Where would you go, Amelia?" he asked. "You only had the Hondas before, and now they're gone."

"That doesn't concern you," Amelia said. "But if you try telling me that I have to give up my child to a prison camp, we will both leave your life forever. Do not test me." She narrowed her eyes at the man who looked so much like her brother with his dark hair and green eyes. "I mean it, Dad."

Knowing she was serious, Frank decided to take an easier approach. "Amelia, didn't you want Kiku to meet her?"

"Not like that," Amelia growled at him. "Grace isn't going anywhere, except with me."

Frank decided it was a losing battle and sighed, turning back toward the door. He would rather let the police do it anyway. After all, in the past year, he had broken his daughter's heart enough. If he were the one to take Grace away, he knew that Amelia would truly never forgive him for it.

Amelia stuck up her nose in defiance and then turned to Grace in her arms. "No one will separate us, Grace. And tonight we'll leave until all of the danger is gone. Dad will understand one day. But I know what it's like to not have a mom. It's not fun, Grace. Every little girl needs her mother." Tears filled her eyes. "So I'll always be here."

.

One Week Later, Manzanar

Kiku sat on a bench as Frank approached him. "Good afternoon, Mr. Jones. I would like to thank you for the pictures. She is beautiful."

Frank sighed. "Kiku, we need to talk. Walk with me."

The Japanese boy immediately stood. "Is it about Amelia? Is she doing okay? Is Grace okay?" He began to panic. What was going on?

"It's about Grace," Frank sighed. He scratched the back of his neck, uncomfortable. "She's going to be joining you and your parents here in Manzanar tomorrow."

Kiku's eyes widened. "No!" he exclaimed. "No, Mr. Jones! You can't let them do that! You can't let them take Grace away from Amelia! Then she'll have nothing! Please! There has to be something you can do!"

Frank sighed. "There's nothing I can do. She's Japanese."

"But she's also Caucasian," Kiku reminded. "Amelia is her mother. She needs to be with her mother, Mr. Jones! A girl needs her mother badly!"

"How would you know that?" Frank snarled at him. "Are you saying I wasn't enough for Amelia after what happened to Grace?"

"I'm not saying that," Kiku quickly said. "But little girls need their mothers. I'm not good enough to take care of Grace, Mr. Jones. I know that much."

"Then your mother will have to take care of her," Frank told him. "I don't make the rules, Kiku. I just came here to tell you that you better take damn good care of my granddaughter."

Kiku gulped and nodded. "Yes," he softly said. "I will."

"Good," Frank said before marching off.

As Kiku watched Frank walk away, he couldn't help but feel a sinking feeling of dread in the pit of his stomach. He wished there was a way for him to warn Amelia, but there wasn't. Instead, he turned and ran home to tell his mother of his distress.

.

The Next Day, Los Angeles, California

Amelia was asleep when she heard the knock on the door downstairs. She opened one eye, hoping they wouldn't ring the doorbell and wake up Grace. Her fears were answered when the sound of the doorbell resounded around the duplex, followed by Grace's frightened screams.

Amelia, exhausted, picked up Grace and carried her down the stairs, struggling to calm her down. Her feet padded toward the door. She opened it to see three police officers in uniform looking down at her. She tried to shut the door on them, but they were too strong.

"Get away!" she cried out to them. "I know what you're here for, and you can't have her!"

"Please don't make this harder than it has to be," one of the officers calmly said. "You'll see her again after the war. She's just going to live with her father until then."

"No!" Amelia yelled at him, covering Grace's ears so she wouldn't damage them. "You can't have my baby! You can't take the only thing I have left! You just can't do it! Please!" Tears burned her eyes as she backed away from the men. "I'm begging you! Please don't do this!"

"We have our orders," another officer said. "We can't just ignore them because you begged us to."

Amelia began to cry. "Please don't this!" She held her daughter closer to her and sobbed. "Don't take her away from me! Please don't!"

"We're sorry, ma'am," the third officer told her. "Boys, if you would."

The first two officers restrained a screaming Amelia while the third officer took away a screaming Grace. Amelia was losing her mind, kicking and screaming, trying to get to her daughter. Grace was all she had left in the world to make her happy! Why was this happening.

"Again, ma'am, we're sorry," the third officer said as they all left the house, leaving Amelia on the floor.

Amelia laid on the floor, curling up into a ball as she sobbed. It wasn't fair! She wanted her baby! She wanted Kiku! It wasn't fair! Why couldn't she be Japanese, too? It just wasn't fair! But she knew one thing. There was no way in hell that she was going to stay in this duplex any longer.


	8. Chapter 8

Amelia went up to her bedroom and got out her backpack from school. She was running away. She had to. There was no reason for her to ever return to this cruel prison she once knew as "home". Her father didn't need her, and no one would miss her if she was gone. There was no one to miss her.

As she was walking out the door, Christopher was walking outside as well. He moved his raven bangs out of his eyes. "Amelia?" he asked, confused. "Where are you going?"

"I'm leaving," she simply answered. "There is nothing left for me here." Her face and expression and even her voice were blank. "They took Grace. I have nothing."

Christopher's eyes widened in understanding. "Where did they take her? Who took her?"

"The police took my baby to go and be with Kiku," she softly said, unbidden tears filling her eyes. "I begged them not to, but they took her. She's gone…" Amelia squeezed her eyes shut to keep the tears in them. "They took my daughter! I have nothing left!" She sank to her knees on the porch and burst into sobs. "It's not fair! I love her so much! What did I do wrong?!"

"You did nothing wrong, Amelia," Christopher softly told her, kneeling beside her. "The world is just an unfair place at the moment. But I know you'll see Grace again. Believe in Kiku to keep her safe."

"I'm trying," Amelia said, struggling to compose herself. "But she's my child too! Why can't I raise her as well?! Why can't Kiku and I just raise her together?!"

"Because life's a bitch," Christopher sighed. He barely knew what to say. Though he and Amelia hung out a few times, he had no idea what words would comfort her at a time like this. "Hey, don't run away. Come live with us. I know my mother wouldn't mind. You could even stay in the basement if you'd like, with all of Kiku's things."

Amelia blinked at him. "Really? You mean it? That might actually help me…" She thought more about it. "Are you sure your mother wouldn't mind?"

"I'm certain," he said with a nod. "My mother is fond of you." He smiled. "Here, let me help you to your feet, Amelia." He reached down and helped Amelia to her feet. "I'm sorry that all of this happened. But it's not your fault."

Amelia sniffled. "Just please get me inside," she whimpered, clinging to him.

.

Mid-October, Manzanar, 1942

Kiku woke up early one morning to a baby crying. When did a baby get in his home there? No one he knew was pregnant. Maybe he was just imagining it all. He squeezed his eyes shut and threw his blanket over his head until he felt someone tap his shoulder.

"Kiku," Hatsune softly said. "I think you should wake up. It's important."

He opened his eyes groggily and saw his mother holding a tiny baby. Was that…? No. It couldn't be. "Grace?" he softly asked. "Okaasan, is that…?"

"Hai," she answered, nodding her head. "Meet Grace. This is your little girl, Kiku." She smiled down at her son. "Isn't she just lovely?"

Kiku smiled as he sat up and held out his arms. He wanted to hold his beautiful daughter. "I wonder how Ami-chan is doing," he softly pondered aloud. "This must've been hard for her. I couldn't imagine having a child taken away from me." He smiled as Grace was handed over to him. "Hello there, beautiful," he whispered to her.

The infant opened her dark eyes for a few moments, looked at Kiku, and closed them once more. She snuggled into her father's arms, almost as if she knew that he was her father. Her little arms wrapped around Kiku's. And at the moment, Kiku knew he was wrapped around her little finger. And he was never going to let go.

"I hope your mother is okay," Kiku softly said to Grace, snuggling her close into his chest. He already felt a bond with his little girl, one that was unbreakable, like his one with her mother. "She needs you so bad, Grace. I'm sorry that you're stuck here with me. You shouldn't have to know Manzanar and what life here is like."

"Kiku, are you going to be okay with her?" Hatsune asked. "I need to run out and get some things from the soldiers who brought Grace."

"Yeah, I'll be fine," Kiku told her, relaxing. He smiled down at his sleeping daughter. "She's sleeping, so it's okay." His lips pressed against the top of his daughter's head. "I promise you'll always be safe with me, Grace-chan."

.

Rika approached Kiku while he was outside during Grace's nap time later that day. "Hey, Kiku!" she greeted cheerfully. "What are you doing outside? I heard your family got a new addition today. Aren't you happy?"

"I am overjoyed," Kiku told her. "But Grace is sleeping right now, so I'm letting her have her nap. She's only a little over a month old after all." He smiled to himself. "She looks just like me, but I think she has Ami-chan's nose."

"So she looks more Japanese than white?" Rika asked, sitting next to him. "I bet she's beautiful. I wonder what she'll be like when she gets older."

"Yeah," Kiku mused, smiling. "I hope she has an adventurous spirit like Amelia!" His eyes lit up as he spoke of her. "She was always an adventurer, a go-getter." He frowned slightly. "I miss Grace's mother very much. It's hard not being around her anymore. I find myself wondering what I'm going to do if Grace gets sick or something like that. I'm not Amelia. I'm not her mother."

"Why are mothers so important?" Rika asked.

"Every young girl needs her mother," Kiku stated. "If they don't have a mother, it does things to them. Trust me. When Amelia's mother died, she was never the same again." He was quiet for a moment. "A young girl needs a mother."

"Who will be Grace's mother then?" Rika asked. "Since Amelia can't be here, who will act as her mother figure? Your mother?"

"My mother is already her grandmother," Kiku stated. "She will just have to do without one until we can all be together again."

"But who said you'll ever see each other again?" Rika asked, looking up at the sky. "The future isn't promised, you know."

"But there will be no future for us together," Kiku told her. "I am in love with Amelia, and my heart is staying true to her. I know what you've been hinting at, and it won't happen. We will never be anything more than friends, and you will not raise Grace with me."

Rika blinked at him in surprise. "How did you figure all of that?" she asked in shock. "I would never-"

"But that's what you were planning all along, is it not?" Kiku asked, standing up. "Rika-chan, I don't mind being your friend, but if you ultimate goal is to be something more, then I will have to pass on your friendship. My heart beats only for Amelia, and that will never change."

"If that's how you're going to be about it, are you sure you even want to be friends with me?" Rika asked, cocking her head to the side after standing. "You always think I'm after something. What if I just wanted a friend, Kiku? Did you ever think about that? No, you didn't! Because you're so absorbed in thinking about yourself! Baka!" She turned on her heel and ran off.

Kiku blinked in surprise at her outburst. Was that how she truly felt all along? Had he been reading her signs wrong? What did she really mean? He found himself running after her. "Rika-chan!" he called. "Wait!"

She stopped in her tracks. "What do you want, Kiku? You made it perfectly clear that you don't want to be friends with me no matter how hard I try." Her hand went up to wipe her eyes. "So why should I even bother trying to be friends with you if you're just going to misunderstand me all the time? It's not worth it!"

"Not worth it?" Kiku repeated to himself. "What do you mean by that?"

"I mean just what I said," Rika said, tears in her eyes. "You're always misunderstanding my true intentions! It's not worth being friends with someone who thinks like that!"

"I'm sorry," Kiku softly said. "I didn't mean to upset you like this. I'll go back to my home now and I'll talk to you on another day."

Rika watched him walk back, tears of hatred and hurt burning her eyes. Why couldn't Kiku understand? Why couldn't Kiku just love someone his own kind? Why did he have to love some stupid white girl? Why couldn't he just love her?

.

Early November, 1942, Los Angeles, California

Christopher went into his basement one morning with a sigh. "Amelia, everyone is still out looking for you," he said. "Your father is worried sick, but he doesn't know that I know you, so you're safe here." He frowned. "It must've been pretty horrible to never want to go back, huh?" He sat on the basement couch and looked over at Amelia.

She looked up at him. "You have no idea," she softly said. "He kept me as a prisoner once he found out I was pregnant. I wasn't allowed to leave the house. And he had no intentions of letting me out again until the war was over." She sighed. "This is the only way."

"But you do realize that we could be charged with kidnap if they come here, right?" Christopher asked.

Amelia's eyes widened. "I-I didn't realize that, Christopher," she softly said. "If I'm a bother, I'll go."

"It's not that, it's just that your father has been out night and day looking for you for three weeks now," Christopher said. "He's even come to our door asking about you, but luckily I answered it. My mom might've cracked if she saw the look on his face. Amelia, he's completely heartbroken."

"It's all fake," she said. "He doesn't care about me. He never did."

"There's a boy there now," Christopher continued. "He's a few years older than us by the looks of it, with dark hair and-"

"Allan?!" she gasped out. Had Allan come home to look for her?! Was he that worried that he actually came home because his little sister went missing?! She rose to her feet. "My brother is home?!" She grabbed her backpack off of the floor. "Christopher, I have to get home! If my brother doesn't go back to college soon, he'll blame me for ruining his life!" She ran up the stairs and out the back door.

As she rounded the house she saw him on the porch. It was Allan, all right. He was tall and tan with big muscles. His eyes were shielded by sunglasses, but it was still her older brother, whom she adored and envied both at once. She wanted to run out and hug him, yet she was terrified of what he would do.

She slowly came out of hiding and walked up onto the porch. Her heart was hammering in her chest and her ears were ringing. What was Allan going to say? Was he going to hit her? Was he going to be angry with her? Would he understand?

"Look who decided to come home after all," he said, lifting his sunglasses to get a better view of his little sister. His arms wrapped around her in a tight hug. "Must've been horrible all on your own like that, huh?"

Amelia couldn't speak. Instead, she just sobbed into his chest as she hugged him back. All of the built up emotions since losing Grace had finally let themselves free as she cried. She clung tightly to her brother as she sobbed, body shaking. She lost feeling in her legs, but Allan held her up.

"I'm sorry about Grace," Allan softly said. "Why don't we just go inside? Dad's at Manzanar right now, so I'm going to stay here with you until he gets back. Damn, Amelia, we were so worried…" He led her inside and sat her on the couch, wrapping a blanket around her shoulders. "Do you want something to drink?"

She silently shook her head, still in shock that her brother was actually there with her. "What made you come home?"

"What kind of a brother would I be if my baby sister went missing and I didn't care?" Allan asked, sitting next to her on the couch. "All that matters is that you're home now. That's what's important to me, Amelia." He sighed. "Dad's really sick. He has barely eaten since you left. He thought it was all his fault that you disappeared. He'll be relieved to find out that you're back. You had us both really worried. Dad would stay up all night, saying it was all his fault that you left and how he'd never forgive himself if something happened to you."

"I didn't think he would care that much," she softly said.

"Why would you think something like that?" Allan asked, eyes widening. "Of course he would care! Amelia, I know you two don't get along that well, but he does love you. I can promise you that." He put an arm around his little sister and hugged her close. "And I'm sorry that I haven't been that great of a big brother to you, kiddo. You deserve better from me."

"You had school," Amelia said, leaning her head on his shoulder. "I understand how that can be."

"But I shouldn't have neglected my family when I should've seen the signs of them struggling," Allan sighed. "And now look at this mess. Oh, and Dad wanted me to tell you that Grace is doing well. She hasn't gotten sick or anything. Dad says she can hold her head up on her own and almost roll over."

Amelia smiled to herself. "I guess Kiku is taking really good care of her then."

"I honestly never thought you and Kiku would ever be together like that," Allan mused. "I mean, I knew he was in love with you. He always was. I just figured you would always be oblivious to it." He smiled to himself. "And now I have a niece that I haven't even seen pictures of because my sister took them when she left."

"Would you like to see her?" Amelia asked. "I'll show you." She reached into her backpack and got her photo album out. Nearly all of them were photos of Grace. "Isn't she beautiful, Allan?"

"She is definitely Kiku's daughter, that's for sure," Allan said with a nod. "But I can see a little bit of you in her as well."

"Where?" Amelia asked, smiling.

"I can see it in her eyes. She has that same adventurous sparkle in them that you always had as a kid," Allan chuckled. "Hell, you still have it. I want you to remain like that forever. Show Grace that adventurous spirit of yours and help her discover hers when she's older."

"I will," Amelia said, smiling. She looked at the pictures that barely left her gaze lately. "I miss my little girl, Allan. I want her back."

"I know you do," Allan sighed. "But you just have to wait until the end of the war comes."

"It seems like forever," Amelia grumbled, crossing her arms.

"As you get older, you find out that forever isn't really that long of a time," Allan assured with a smile. "Trust me on it, Amelia. You'll see her again. And when you do, it'll be the greatest day of your life, because Kiku will be with her."

.

Amelia woke up the next morning to the smell of cooked bacon. She smiled and stretched in her bed. She knew her brother was a vegetarian, yet he still cooked up some meat just for his little sister. Her mind made a mental note to thank him the moment she got to the kitchen.

She ran down the stairs to the kitchen to see Allan eating an apple. "Did you make bacon just for me?" she asked, smiling.

"Indeed, I did," he answered. "I also made you pancakes."

"For me only?" she asked, confused. "What about you?"

He lifted the apple he was eating. "I have this. I have taken my love for animals to a new level. I won't even consume or wear anything that comes from an animal."

"That seems a bit...extreme," Amelia softly said. She had never heard of that before.

Allan shook his head. "I can get the vitamins and minerals I need from other things. I'm fine like this,"

"Well thanks for the pancakes and bacon, Allan," she said, hugging him. "I've missed having you home. Dad always burns everything."

Allan chuckled to himself. "Sounds like Dad."

Amelia smiled. "I'm serious, Allan. He always burns everything. It's so unappetizing."

"Why else do you think I learned to cook?" Allan asked her, raising an eyebrow. "Beats eating what Dad makes. That mad could fucking burn water."

"Allan, are you happy at school?" Amelia asked.

"Of course," Allan answered with a cheerful smile. "I have three really good friends there. Their names are James, Oliver, and Francois. James is my roommate. I think you've met him before."

"Is he the one with the long hair and flannel?" Amelia asked, thinking back.

Allan laughed. "Yup, that's James. He's not nearly as intimidating as he looks. He is actually a really nice guy."

Amelia smiled. "I'm glad you have good friends. Making friends has always been easy for you." She thought back, thinking about Kiku, her only friend other than Christopher. "Why is it so hard for me to make friends?"

"Because you are unique," Allan answered. "You are more special and precious than others, so only people who will stay true to you will be your friends. I wish I was like you in that aspect. I'd give anything for true, loyal friends, and only those."

"What about James, Francois, and Oliver?" Amelia asked.

"They're good friends to me," Allan said, smiling. "I just wish I've always had them, you know?"

And for some reason, Amelia felt she understood.

.

That Same Day, Manzanar

Frank approached Kiku and smiled down at the baby he was holding. "I have news, Kiku," he said, feeling a bit cheery. "Allan found Amelia. He won't tell me where, but he found her."

Kiku, who had grown nervous ever since Amelia went missing, breathed a sigh of relief. He felt as if a large burden had been lifted off of his chest. His arms held Grace close to him. "Oh, thank God," he breathed. "That is wonderful news, Mr. Jones."

"It really is," Frank said, smiling. "I was so worried that I could barely think straight. She's so young and small...I couldn't imagine her out there in the world by herself."

"It's a scary thought," Kiku agreed with a nod. "Grace," he whispered to the sleeping infant, "your mother has been found. We don't have to worry anymore."

Frank smiled. "You're not a bad kid, Kiku. I'm sorry that you had to end up here." He sighed. "I let my prejudice get in the way of what was important to me and my family. You've always been important to Amelia. I should have always respected that."

"No use dwelling on the past now, Mr. Jones," Kiku softly said, smiling. "All that matters is that Amelia is safe and at home with Allan now."

"I agree with that," Frank said. "Anyway, I had better get back to work. I just thought I'd tell you that Allan found her while I was here." He turned to leave. "See you around."

"See you, Mr. Jones," Kiku said, smiling. He looked down at Grace. "I'm so glad they found her, Grace. She needs us before she cracks. Let's hope this stupid war ends soon."

That was his true wish, for the war to end. He wanted nothing more than to return to Los Angeles and have a real family with Amelia, the only dream he had ever had.


	9. Chapter 9

Early November, 1942, Los Angeles, California

Amelia woke up the next morning, surprised not to smell anything cooking. She sat up and rubbed her eyes. Where was Allan? She got to her feet and walked down into the kitchen. There, she saw Allan with a mug of coffee.

"Good morning, little sister," Allan greeted, smiling over the rim of the mug. "I didn't expect you to be up so early, or else I would've already started on breakfast."

"That's okay," Amelia said, smiling at him. "You drink your coffee black?" she asked.

"No, I put sugar in it," Allan answered, taking a sip.

"Is it any good?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.

Allan slid the mug over to her. "Try for yourself," he encouraged. He smiled as he watched her raise the mug to her lips and take a sip, laughing as she made a disgusted face. "Not quite to your liking, is it?"

She pushed the mug back over to him. "Keep it, Allan," she stated. "You could have at least warned me."

"Warned you about what?" he laughed. "We have different taste buds. How would I have known?" He smirked. "Though I'll admit watching your reaction was pretty great."

"Allan!" Amelia whined. She frowned at him. "That was cruel." Her arms crossed over her chest. "You owe me bacon now."

Allan laughed. "Okay, okay," he said. "I get it!" He got up and ruffled her hair. "I'll get to making your nasty meat."

"It's not nasty, you're just weird," Amelia pouted. She looked up at Allan with her big, blue eyes. "But thank you for making it for me." She batted her eyes at him. "Please hurry, I'm starving."

"I'm going, I'm going," Allan laughed, getting bacon out of the fridge and heating up a pan for her. "So did you sleep well, Mia?" he asked her, smiling.

"I did," she answered. "How did you sleep?"

"Can't complain," Allan answered with a yawn. "Just wish I had gotten a little more sleep is all." He smiled at her. "But I'm not too tired to cook. Don't worry, I won't burn anything like Dad does." He put the bacon in the pan and grimaced as it popped and sizzled. "Disgusting…" he muttered to himself.

"Tell me more about your college," Amelia said, resting her head on her hand. "It sounds more fun than just sitting at home and being the disgrace of the family."

"You're not a disgrace," Allan said, turning to her. "Don't ever think that about yourself. You should have seen how upset and worried Dad was when you went missing. He didn't sleep or eat for days, Mia. We were both worried about you. He's really sorry about what happened to Grace, you know. He feels terrible that he still gets to see her…" He was quiet for a moment. "I think it's beautiful that you named her after Mom."

"Yeah," Amelia sighed. "I just wish Mom could've seen her. I think she would have loved Grace."

"I think so, too," Allan answered. "She's beautiful, Amelia. I'm proud of you for being a good mother to her while you had her. It's extremely unfair that she was taken away, but that's just the kind of world we're stuck living in until the war is over." He sighed. "But as soon as the war ends, I'm going to come back from college and meet her properly, I promise."

Amelia smiled. "I'd like that." She then eyed her brother. "But you haven't told me about college yet. I would like to hear about it."

"Well, what would you like to hear regarding it?" Allan asked with a smirk. "I have many stories I could tell you."

"Tell me about your friend Oliver," Amelia encouraged. "Where is he from?"'

"Oh, him? He's from Norwich," Allan answered. "That's a town in the UK." He laughed. "Ollie even has a British accent. But then again, Francois is from France, so he has an accent as well." He smiled to himself as he turned back to the bacon. "Out of the three of them, Oliver is my best friend."

"That's nice to know," Amelia said with a smile. "Will I ever get to meet Oliver?"

Allan was quiet for a moment. "I don't know," he finally answered. "He's, uh, shy. He heard about what happened to you and sends his condolences."

Amelia was quiet for a moment. "Does he know that I'm okay now?"

"Yes," Allan answered. "I called him last night and told him so he could let James and Francois know." He was starting to sweat.

She looked closer at him. "Allan, how hot do you have the stove? You're sweating."

Allan laughed. "Sorry, I'm just trying to cook your bacon faster is all," he answered. His eyes focused too hard on the bacon and he felt his mind wandering.

"Are you okay?" she asked him. "You're not sick, are you?"

"I-I'll be fine," Allan stammered. "Maybe I caught a cold from all those times I was out looking for you or something. Don't worry about me."

"If you're sure," Amelia softly said, dropping the conversation where it was.

.

That night, Amelia could hear her brother's voice at the bottom of the stairs. He was talking on the phone, but his voice was different than it normally was. His voice was soft yet sweet. He must have thought she was asleep. Then again, it was late at night.

Amelia thought his voice sounded interesting. Was he hiding a secret girlfriend at college? It intrigued her enough for her to silently creep down the stairs to listen better to the conversation.

"I miss you, too," Allan softly said into the phone. "It's only for a few more days, and then I'll be back." He chuckled softly. "I can't wait either." He was quiet for a moment. "Yes, I'm sure she's asleep. I wouldn't call you if she wasn't." There was another moment of silence. "No, it's not that I'm ashamed of you. I could never be ashamed of you. It's just that they don't know about you. That's all." After a moment, he said, "Are you kidding? My dad would flip!"

Amelia was certain he was talking to his girlfriend now. Who else could it be? Yet why wouldn't he tell her about his girlfriend. Sure Allan and Amelia weren't extremely close, but she knew he would at least tell her if he had a girlfriend. She couldn't help but feel betrayed that her brother was having a secret relationship behind her back.

"Yeah, you should probably sleep. You have a test tomorrow." Allan was quiet again as he listened. "I know, but I'll be back soon. There's no need to worry." He chuckled again. "Yeah, sweet dreams to you as well." He made a kissing noise. "I'm counting down the days."

Amelia's eyes widened as he said, "Goodnight, Ollie." Had she heard him correctly? Was it the same "Ollie" that they were talking about earlier? She gripped her head in her hands. There was no way that her brother could be like that! Allan had always had girlfriends, so this "Ollie" must be a girl! She had to be!

She heard her brother approaching the stairs and made her silent retreat back to her bedroom and quickly crawled into bed. Amelia had managed to look like she was sleeping when she heard her door open for a moment and then close.

What reason would Allan have to check if she were still asleep? Unless if he was sneaking around with his relationship… But the thought of that relationship being with another man was something she just couldn't bear! She prayed for it not to be true!

.

The next morning, Amelia woke up to the smell of bacon cooking. She stretched and yawned, rolling over and looking toward her bedroom door. Had that phone call last night just been a strange dream she had? She decided that it was after a few moments of pondering it. Surely, that had to be a strange dream.

She walked down the stairs, rubbing her eyes. "Good morning, Allan," she yawned. Her blue eyes opened fully to see her brother at the table, staring at the plate of bacon. Something seemed off about him. "Are you okay?"

Allan looked up at her. "What? Yeah, I'm fine," he quickly answered. "What about you? Are you okay?"

"Well, yeah," Amelia answered. She studied his facial expression. He seemed tired. "Are you getting enough sleep, Allan?"

"Yeah, I'm fine," he answered, staring into his coffee mug. He sighed softly.

"Did something happen last night?" Amelia asked, cocking her head to the side. She was starting to worry. Allan never seemed troubled like this, and it was starting to worry her.

"What do you mean?" Allan asked, looking up at her. His eyes studied her face.

"You just look like you were up late, or maybe didn't even sleep at all," Amelia observed. "What kept you up?"

"I had to make a couple phone calls last night, if that's what you're asking," Allan answered. "By the way, Dad will be home this evening. He wants you to know that he'd like to have a talk with you when he gets here."

Amelia gulped. "Do I have to?" she asked. "What if he yells at me?"

"He won't," Allan answered. "I told him not to. If he does, you let me know." He yawned and rubbed his eyes. "God, I'm so tired."

"I knew it," Amelia said with a smirk. She took a bite of a bacon strip. "So how late were you up?"

Allan smirked at her. "Why does it matter?" he asked. "I'm the older brother here. I had to study. I'm missing some important tests today by being here."

"Then why not go back to school now that I'm back?" Amelia asked. "If your tests are just that important."

"Who wants to actually go do a test instead of hang out with their darling baby sister?" Allan asked with a laugh. "Not me, that's for sure. I'd rather have quality bonding time with you."

Amelia laughed. "I mean that much to you?"

"Of course you do," Allan answered. "I've been here for the past week because I was worried about you. The moment I got the go-ahead from my school, I got my ass down here to come looking for you. I didn't even tell James that I was leaving until the moment I walked out the door of our dorm room. I left it to him to tell Ollie and Francois."

There was that name again. "Ollie". Amelia had to quickly rid that from her mind as she said, "I had no idea."

"We were so scared that you died, Mia," Allan admitted. "Please, don't ever scare us like that again. We wouldn't be able to take it if something ever happened to you."

Amelia was quiet for a moment. "I wasn't going to kill myself," she softly said. "Because I already feel dead…"

"You what?" Allan asked, eyes widening. "Why do you feel that way?"

"You try having everything you ever loved taken from you," Amelia said. "Mom, Kiku, Grace, you…" Her voice trailed off as tears filled her eyes. "That's why I won't let myself get close to Dad. I won't even try it, because I know he'll be taken from me as well. And I don't want to end up truly alone…"

Allan stared at her from across the table for a moment. "You really feel that way?" he softly asked.

"It's hard, Allan," she softly said. "I have nothing left to lose. It's almost as if I lost my will to live."

"Please don't say that," Allan softly said. "Mia, you're not even out of high school yet. Things will get better. When the war ends, Kiku and Grace will come back to you. I know they will! Please, just hang in there for them. They'll need you."

Her tears spilled over and trailed down her cheeks. "You have no idea how hard it is!" she wailed. "You've never truly been in love with someone!"

"How could you even know that?" Allan slowly asked her. "You don't know everything about me." He was quiet for a moment. "Who says I'm not in love right now, but it's with someone I could never be with, just like you?"

Amelia buried her face in her hands as she realized with horror that it really was Oliver that he was on the phone with last night. She then began to sob, not only for herself, but for her brother as well. It wasn't fair to either of them to not be able to love who they wanted. She cried harder as she remembered how soft and gentle Allan's voice was when talking to Oliver on the phone the night before. Her tears wouldn't stop, no matter how hard she tried to get them to.

Allan got up and hugged her. "Hey now," he said. "I can take anyone's tears but yours. Please don't cry anymore. I know it's hard, but I know you're stronger than this." His voice sounded slightly choked as he said, "I'm going to start crying too if you don't stop…"

She tried to slow her tears as she buried her face in her older brother's shoulder. All she wanted was a guarantee that she would see Kiku and Grace again, but she knew that it was possible that he would never come back. It made her heart ache. At least Allan could still see Oliver at school. That was more than she could say about herself and Kiku.

It was only once she had calmed down that she realized Allan was crying, too. It made her feel terrible, but she knew that he needed the release that only tears could bring just as badly as she needed it.

.

Same Day, Manzanar

Kiku smiled at Grace as he rocked her back and forth. He loved how much she looked like him, yet how much her personality favored Amelia. He knew she would be a fun child to have when she got a little bit older. Honestly, he couldn't wait until she could walk and talk, dying to know the things she would say. Yet at the same time, he wanted her to stay this little forever.

"Kiku, you have a visitor," Hatsune said to her son. She walked over to him. "Is Grace awake?"

He looked down at his daughter's brown eyes. "Hai," he answered with a smile. "She woke up a little while ago. I've been talking to her a little bit. She likes the sound of my voice." Kiku smiled at the baby in his arms. "Grace knows Daddy's voice very well."

Grace cooed, reaching up for his hair. Her eyes were focused on it, and she looked determined to grab a fistful.

"Oh, yes, she's wide awake," Hatsune said with a wide smile. "Grace gets more and more beautiful with every passing day." She knelt down and kissed the baby's forehead. "You're lucky, Kiku. She seems to be doing well, despite not being with Amelia."

Kiku frowned a little. "I feel terrible that Amelia can't be in her life right now," he admitted. "That's not fair at all. It wasn't like Grace chose to be born half Japanese."

"But aren't you glad she was?" Hatsune asked him. "That means that she's half you. Isn't that something wonderful in itself?"

"I guess so," Kiku said, a small smile playing on his lips. "She's so beautiful, Okaasan. I can't wait for her to get older, but I also want her to stay a baby forever. Who knew that being a parent would be so hard?"

"Who knew that you would be a father before you graduated high school?" Hatsune asked. "But I'm glad that you're Grace's father, Kiku. You are a wonderful father to her."

Kiku smiled bigger. "I try to be. Though I just wish that she could have a mother as well."

"She will when we all get out of here," Hatsune assured, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Until then, we'll have to be like this. But I can't wait for the day that you and Amelia are reunited. That will be the happiest day of my life."

"Why would that day be the happiest of your life?" Kiku asked, confused.

"Because that is the day my son is truly happy," Hatsune answered, smiling. "And your happiness matters more to me than my own." She patted Kiku's head. "After all, you are my pride and joy. I want the happiest of lives for you. I'm sorry that we had to end up here, Kiku. I wish that you could have better memories of the war instead of suffering in some camp." Hatsune frowned. "I hope you never hate who you are because of this war. Being Japanese is not the worst thing you could be."

"You're right," Kiku answered, gazing down at Grace in his arms. "I could be a murderer or a bank robber." He stroked the side of Grace's face gently with his fingertips. "But I would never want my daughter to grow up in a world where she would be in danger because of me. But it looks like she already is…"

"Don't say that, Kiku," Hatsune said. "After this war, being Japanese won't be as bad as it is now. Everything will get better when they realize we're not bad people."

"I hope so," Kiku said. "I don't want my daughter to grow up hated because of what she looks like. That is not a proper world for Grace." He sighed. "Look at me, I sound like an old man."

"You sound like a loving father to me," Hatsune simply said.

Kiku smiled. "Thanks, Okaasan."

.

Later That Evening, Los Angeles, California

Amelia sat on the couch, knitting as Allan tuned the radio across the room. She had calmed down a lot since her outburst that morning, and neither of the siblings had spoken of what happened since they stopped crying. She glanced over at Allan every now and then, but he just looked lost as he stared at the radio.

She was about to ask if he was okay until her father walked through the front door. Her heart sprang up into her throat and her stomach sunk. This was the moment of truth. She was certain he was going to yell, so she went back to her knitting, even though her hands wouldn't stop shaking.

"Good to have both of you home at the same time," Frank simply said as he took off his work shoes. He walked past Amelia and to the kitchen. "Amelia, we're going to have to have a talk this evening."

Amelia gulped. She was certain she was going to get yelled at. Her eyes flicked over to Allan, who glanced over at her. She suddenly felt as if she would burst into tears all over again.

Allan shook his head. "You can do this," he quietly told her.

Even though her brother tried to reassure her, she knew she was in deep trouble.


	10. Chapter 10

Amelia had to fight back a nervous breakdown when her father called her into the kitchen. She wrung her hands tightly, looking over at Allan. She watched as he stood and walked her to the kitchen.

"Allan, you have no business listening to this," Frank stiffly stated. "You may leave."

"Oh, I want to be here for this," Allan simply answered. He crossed his arms over his chest and leaned against the doorframe.

"You have no business being in this room," Frank insisted to his son.

"Dad, here's something I know about my little sister," Allan began. "If you yell even once, she's going to run again. Do you really want to risk that?"

Frank glared at his son for a moment before motioning for Amelia to sit at the table with him. "Since your brother won't leave, I guess this conversation won't be as private as I planned." He stared at Amelia once she sat down, his gaze never wavering. "I just want to know what made you think running away would be a good idea? What possessed you to run away and make us all worried sick about you?" His voice gained more of an edge. "Why would you want to leave here so suddenly?"

Amelia bowed her head and frowned. "I just…" She couldn't finish her sentence, not with the way her father was looking at her. The intensity in his eyes was too powerful, causing her to avert her eyes to her lap as she fiddled with the hemline of her skirt. "It was a sudden, quick decision."

"Why would you want to leave me?" Frank asked her.

"It's not like you care what happens to me anyway," Amelia sighed. "You're just putting on a 'concerned father' act because Allan is here. I know that if he wasn't in this room, you'd be laying into me about how I messed up your stupid routine for awhile because you pretended to be worried about me for the sake of people knowing you really don't care about me."

Frank's mouth dropped open. "What would ever make you think that? Why would you think I don't care about you?"

Amelia lifted her head to look at her father, eyes filled with tears. "You're ashamed of me! You're ashamed of the fact that I had a baby, and ashamed that the baby is half-Japanese! I know you are! You didn't let me leave the house for nearly a year! I was suffocating and lonely, and you didn't care at all! You never did care after mom died! Just admit it!" She wanted to stop herself from saying any more, but it seemed as if her mouth were on autopilot. "You were probably happy when Grace was taken away! You were probably glad that she was rotting away in a camp with everyone else like her!" Her fists were clenched tightly in her lap when she finished.

Allan's eyes were wide as he stood in the doorway. He was honestly shocked at his sister's outburst. His eyes then flicked to their stone-faced father. He had no idea what was going to happen next, but he couldn't help but sympathize for his sister. It had to be hard to be locked in a house with no company but their father. Even he didn't ever want something like that to happen to him.

"Amelia, I think you should go to your room and think really hard about what you just said," Frank simply stated.

She sucked his her breath and glared at her father for a few moments jumping up from the table, knocking her chair down in the process, and stormed up the staircase to her bedroom. Moments later, she shut her door with a satisfying slam that shook the pictures on her wall. Her mood for the day was shot. She figured she should just cry it out and go to bed before her father could come up and talk to her again.

There was a knock at her door and she groaned loudly. "Who is it?"

"It's just Allan," her brother said through the door. "Can I come in?"

"Sure," she grumbled, flopping down on her bed.

Allan opened the door and closed it after him. "Let's talk, kid," he said, pulling over her desk chair and sitting on it backwards next to her bed. "What made you say all of that back there?"

Amelia lifted her head and glared at him. "Because it's all true."

"How sure are you of that?" Allan asked. "What makes you think Dad wasn't excited as fuck when Grace was born and literally called me at some ungodly hour to tell me how beautiful she was?"

"He what?" Amelia asked, blinking her eyes in confusion. "Did he really do that?"

"He's just lucky I was studying," Allan stated. "But he was so excited that I even got excited. Hell, my friend Oliver was just as excited as I was. He had been there when I got the call," Allan quickly explained. "Anyway, Dad was so excited when Grace was born."

"He didn't act like it," Amelia said. "All he did was grumble and complain about her crying."

"Dad doesn't know how to forwardly express what he really feels," Allan sighed. "That's why he was able to express his excitement to me, because it wasn't in person." He frowned. "I just wish you could've heard him, Amelia. He was the most excited I've heard him in years." Allan chuckled to himself. "Sounded like a downright idiot, if I'm completely honest." His expression turned serious. "That's why it hurt him when you accused him of being glad that Grace is gone. When I first got here, he'd randomly break down about how both of his girls are gone."

"At least he still gets to see Grace," Amelia huffed, trying to hold back tears. "Allan, you have no idea how hard it is to have your own child ripped from your arms and taken far, far away. It does things to you. All I can hear sometimes at night is her crying as she was taken. I just…" Her tears fell down her face. "She's all I had left of him, Allan. And now she's gone, too." She wiped her face with her arm. "Allan, what if Kiku doesn't want to be with me at the end of the war? What if he just decides to keep Grace and never come back? Society wouldn't even find it acceptable for Kiku and me to raise Grace together like a happy family."

"Fuck society!" Allan finally exclaimed, startled by his own outburst. "Amelia, love whoever you want! They don't know the truth behind your love! They don't need to know the truth! All that matters is that you love him, right?! That's all that should matter! Who cares if you get shunned by anyone! As long as you're happy with the man you love, isn't that enough?! A-And if he loves you back, that's even better! Because you're happy! He makes you happy! He's there for you when you need him the most! He loves you with his whole heart! Society doesn't do that! Society doesn't give you strawberries when you've had a rough day! Society doesn't talk you through the hardships of life! Society doesn't hold you close when your world is falling apart! Society doesn't comfort you when your little sister goes missing! He does that!" He clenched his fist. "So love him with everything you have! Don't care what society thinks! Only care about the love between the two of you!"

"Something tells me this isn't about me anymore," Amelia softly said when Allan had finished his rant.

"No, it's definitely about you," Allan quickly said, struggling to even out his breathing after that long speech.

"I don't like strawberries, Allan," Amelia told him. "But I know they're your favorite fruit. And also, I don't have a little sister. You do." She reached a hand out to him and placed it on his arm. "What's this really about, Allan?"

"No," Allan said, slowly shaking his head. "I'm not talking to you about this. I can't talk to you about it."

"You're my big brother, Allan," Amelia said. "I'll always love you. Even if you're in love with another boy," she softly added.

Allan's dark eyes were wide as he looked up at her. "Who said that I was... You've got it all wrong!"

"You're in love with Oliver," Amelia softly stated. "And he loves you, too." She grabbed his hand and squeezed it. "It doesn't change the fact that you're my big brother. It doesn't change the fact that I love you. You deserve happiness as much as I do, Allan."

"When did you find out?" Allan softly asked, not even daring to look at Amelia.

"I heard one of your phone calls," Amelia answered, looking down. "Your voice was so soft and sweet when you were talking to him. I had never heard you speak to another human that gently, that sweetly."

Allan's face turned red. "It's just that he gets mad at me when I'm loud," he said. "Please don't tell Dad…"

"This is between us," Amelia assured him. "I guess we're both in love with someone society refuses to let us be with, huh?"

"It appears so," Allan sighed. "I just wish things could change, you know? I wish it was accepted to love whoever you wanted. It's not it's anyone else's business anyway." He frowned and began to absently play with Amelia's fingers in his hand. Her hand was so pale compared to his tanned, sun-kissed skin. He almost found it humorous. "You know," he softly began, "you're just a pale as Oliver, minus the little freckles."

Amelia laughed. "Really?" She grinned up at her brother. "I would love to meet him one day."

"You'd love him," Allan said, eyes holding a dreamy gaze as nothing in particular. "He has strawberry-blond hair and big, shining blue eyes. His sense of humor is so dry and sarcastic that I can't help but laugh. But the best part is that his smaller body fits perfectly with mine whenever I hug him..." He let his voice trail off as he daydreamed.

"He must really be something, huh?" she asked, smiling.

"Not just something," Allan corrected, "everything."

Amelia giggled to herself. "I'm happy that you finally found someone for you, Allan. I want you to be happy."

"Yeah?" Allan asked, focusing back on reality and casting her a small smile.

"Yeah," Amelia said with a nod.

.

December 7th, 1942, Manzanar

Kiku sighed as he looked at the date on the calendar his mother had made. It was the anniversary of the day that his life started heading downhill. He frowned at the calendar and then turned back to the fussy baby who had just woken up next to him.

"Grace, it's too early for you to already be crying," Kiku softly told her, picking her up and snuggling her in his arms.

She immediately stopped crying and just gazed up at Kiku with her big, dark eyes. Her little hand reached over and squeezed his arm lightly. Grace's nails left small scratches on Kiku's arms, but she brought him back to reality.

He gazed down at his daughter and smiled. "Sorry, I was just thinking about Mommy," he told her. "I just miss her a lot. Do you miss her too, Grace? Is that why you cry sometimes for no reason at all? Because you miss Mommy?" Kiku frowned. "I know you miss her, even if people say you're not old enough to even know who she is. But I know you miss her. And it's okay to miss her, Grace. One day, we'll all be together again, I promise."

Hatsune walked over to Kiku and Grace. "How are you feeling this morning?" she asked her son, frowning. She knew what it was the anniversary of, but she hoped it didn't have an effect on him. Nothing hurt her worse than when her son was upset.

"A year ago today was the last time I was able to truly spend time with Amelia," Kiku softly said, looking down at Grace. "If only I had known that at the time, I would have cherished her more. I would've held her close to me and never let go. I would have-"

"Kiku, snap out of it," Hatsune softly told him. "There is no point in living in the past. What's done is done. There's nothing we can do to change what happened. All we have now is to look forward to a bright future. And for you, that means raising Grace with the woman you love."

Kiku nodded. "I know that Grace misses her," he softly said. "Like when she cries for no reason at all, something tells me that she's crying for Amelia. And I know that I could never take Amelia's place. No one ever could. Being a single parent is hard."

"I wonder if that's how Amelia felt when she had Grace for the first month," Hatsune mused. "It must be stressful to be a single parent with a tiny baby. Kiku, you have your father and me, but Amelia had no one. I mean, she had Frank, but he was here a lot during that first month."

He looked down. "Yeah, that's true," he softly agreed. "I feel bad for Amelia, having to raise a baby on her own. She'll never have to do that again, I swear it. I'm going to be there for her." His gaze fell upon Grace, who was still staring up at him. "We'll be a happy family together."

Hatsune smiled. "I'm glad," she softly said. "Grace is going to be a happy little girl when she grows up. She has such a loving father, and a wonderful mother."

"I can only hope that will be true," Kiku sighed. His eyes flickered back to the calendar for a moment. He frowned, thinking of Amelia. "I wonder how Amelia feels about today. Surely she feels just as melancholy as I do."

"I'm sure she does," Hatsune agreed with a nod. She then tossed a small blanket to Kiku. "Now cover that baby up. It's cold today."

.

Same Day, Los Angeles, California

Amelia woke up that morning with a sinking feeling in her stomach. She couldn't explain what had brought the feeling upon her, but she didn't like it. Her eyes flittered over to the calendar on her wall when she woke up.

When she saw the date, she squeezed her eyes shut, remembering the news report she had heard a year ago that day. She remembered how she returned to Kiku, not even thinking about how they would be separated in just a matter of time. How naive she had been…

Her eyes filled with tears. Today was the one-year anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor in Hawaii. She could still hear the radio broadcast ringing in her ears, no matter how badly she tried to make it stop.

She tore her eyes from the calendar on the wall and tried to think of other things. It wasn't so easy when she remembered that December 7th was also Grace's conception date. Her mind was suddenly flooded with memories of her beautiful little girl. Amelia had to squeeze her eyes shut and put her hands over her ears in order to calm down.

Once she had calmed down, she sat back on her bed and tucked her knees in under her chin. Tears were still streaming down her cheeks as she impatiently struggled to wipe them away. "Stupid," she grumbled to herself. "Everything is just so stupid. Grace and Kiku are gone, Amelia. They might not ever come back. Why are you crying right now? Haven't you already accepted that?"

She coiled into herself, fully aware of her own pain. "Why does it hurt so bad?" she whispered to herself. "Why do you keep trying to find a way to make them come back, Amelia? They're never coming back."

Having succeeded in making herself cry, she laid her head back down on her pillow and cried herself into a nap.

.

Amelia woke up later that day and searched her bedroom for Allan's dorm's phone number. She really needed to talk to her brother. He had left the number behind for her to call if she ever needed him. And that day, she really needed someone who would understand her love. She felt much closer to Allan after finding out about Oliver. It felt as though they bonded over being in love with someone that society deemed unacceptable.

She went down to the kitchen and picked up their telephone. Her father was picking up some extra shifts for the next few days, so she didn't have to worry about him coming home to see her on the phone in a long-distance call. Telling herself to keep it short, she dialed the number and waited as the phone rang.

"Hello?" an accented male's voice asked, picking up the phone. The voice was bright and cheery, almost as if he had been laughing just before answering the phone.

"Uh, hi," Amelia timidly said. "Could I possibly speak to-"

"You'll have to speak up, love," the voice said. "I can't hear you."

Amelia raised her voice a little. "Could I speak with Allan Jones, please?"

"Allan?" The voice sounded genuinely surprised. "Of course! He's actually right here!" As the phone was handed to Allan, she heard the accented voice say, "It's for you."

"Hello?" Allan asked into the phone.

"Hey, it's me, Amelia," she softly said, holding in her sigh of relief. "I just wanted to talk a little bit, if that's okay."

"Yeah, of course," Allan answered. "Is something wrong? Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," she said, hugging herself with her arm that wasn't being used for the telephone. "It's just...Today is the one-year anniversary of the bombing of Pearl Harbor."

Allan's voice had a tone of understanding. "It is, isn't it?" He was quiet for a moment. "I'm sorry that you have to be by yourself for that…"

Amelia's eyes filled with tears. "It's okay," she softly replied.

"You'll have to speak a little louder, sis," Allan told her. "The guys are being really fucking loud right now!" he explained more to them than her.

"The guys?" Amelia asked, fishing for a distraction in the conversation.

"Yeah, it's just James, Ollie, and Francois, but still," Allan groaned. "Ollie is the one who answered the phone, actually."

"He did?" Amelia asked, remembering now how kind the voice sounded when speaking with her. "He sounds nice," she admitted.

"That he is," Allan sighed. "Mia, you know what you have to do on days like this, when it's hard to even get out of bed?"

"What?" she asked, glad her brother understood how she felt, even without her telling him.

"Just keep reminding yourself that every passing day means one more day until the war is over," Allan told her. "You'll be with Kiku and Grace before you know it."

Amelia smiled as she blinked back tears. "Thanks, Allan," she choked out. "I really did need that today."

"It's what I'm here for," Allan told her. "But hey, I have to go and study for my test tomorrow. Ollie's going to tutor me."

"Enjoy your date," Amelia told him.

"Shut up," Allan laughed. "I'll talk to you soon, little sister."

"Until we talk again, big brother," she said before hanging up. Even though the day was hard, she couldn't manage to keep the smile from her lips.


	11. Chapter 11

April, 1945, Los Angeles, California

Amelia smiled over at Christopher as she sat next to him on the couch in his apartment. She was knitting a blanket for her father to give to Grace. She had received measurements of her daughter and even a recent picture of her, yet she didn't get one of Kiku, which disappointed her. Deep inside, she really didn't want to give up on her love for Kiku, yet Christopher makes it so tempting. She knew that was only because he was actually there, though.

Christopher slipped an arm around her and snuggled her closer to him. "You know, I think one day you'll give in to my charm, Amelia."

"What makes you think that?" Amelia asked him, glancing away from her knitting for a moment and focusing her gaze on him. "Do you forget that I already have boyfriend and a daughter?"

"You haven't spoken to your boyfriend in over three years," Christopher said.

"That's because of the war," Amelia sighed, returning to her knitting. "But I can tell that he's taken care of our little girl, which makes me happy." She then cast a stern look toward Christopher. "Now, if you say anything negative about Kiku, I just might have to get up and leave. Do you really want that?"

"You know I don't want that, Amelia," Christopher sighed. He frowned. "Why do you threaten things like that? You know it hurts my feelings."

"But it's the truth. You should know better by now," Amelia told him.

"You can't blame a man for trying."

"But I can blame a man for not accepting no for an answer," Amelia stiffly stated, packing up her knitting.

"Where are you going?" Christopher asked, looking at her in shock.

"Home," she simply answered with a shrug, slinging her bag over her shoulder. "I will see you another day, Christopher. Ollie needs my help with dinner." She walked over to the door and opened it.

"Would you at least like me to walk you home?" he asked.

"I'll manage," Amelia said. "Or do you forget who my father and brother are?"

"Call me when you get home," Christopher said.

Amelia laughed. "If I remember." She then walked out.

.

Amelia began to walk toward the small house she shared with her brother and Oliver. The two had moved in with each other after graduating college, taking Amelia under their wing. Allan had known the struggles Amelia had with living with their father, so he took Amelia in and their father got a smaller place to live by himself.

She walked into the house, smiling as she was greeted by the smell of cookies baking in the oven. Amelia loved the smell of Oliver's baking, but what she loved most was the taste. She was always begging him for new recipes.

"I'm home!" she called out.

"Welcome home, love!" Oliver called from the kitchen. "Allan hasn't arrived yet, but could you come help me in the kitchen? Dinner is almost ready!"

Amelia gulped. She was internally praying that Oliver wasn't cooking anything. He always burned everything. "Coming!"

She hurried off to the kitchen to see the strawberry-blond man fretting over a crockpot. His blue eyes were focused on the dial as his pale fingers turned it. He smiled happily when he saw her walk into the room. "Need any help, Ollie?" she asked.

"You are such a relief to have around!" Oliver exclaimed, straightening himself up. He grinned at Amelia. "I'm trying to turn down the setting on this crockpot and I just keep fumbling around with it." He frowned. "Could you help me out, dear?"

"Of course I could," Amelia said, turning the crockpot down. "Is that all?"

Oliver chuckled to himself. "Could you help me set the table perhaps?" he asked. "Allan will be home soon, and I would love for him to come home to a prepared dinner after a long day at work."

Amelia smiled brightly. "Of course," she agreed, nodding. She opened the cupboard and got the plated down.

As she set the table, she couldn't believe how much her life had changed in just a couple years. She just couldn't wrap her head around the fact of it. Her daughter was now two years old, and she hadn't seen her in person since she was only one month old. Amelia often wondered what her voice sounded like, or how she looked when running to Kiku. She daydreamed about the two of them until her heart ached.

"Amelia?" Oliver asked. "Darling, is something wrong?"

She blinked, coming back to earth before looking up at the clock. Ten minutes had passed while she just gazed at the table. "No, I'm fine."

"You're thinking about Kiku and Grace again, aren't you?" he asked, frowning in understanding. "It's okay to think about them as long as you don't dwell on them." Oliver gasped as he remembered something. "I heard a glorious rumor today!"

"What was that?" Amelia asked, eager for a distraction.

"There were some housewives gossiping at the store today, and they said it seems as if the war may be over soon," he said.

"They've been saying that for awhile," Amelia sighed. "I just hope it ends soon. I want my family back, Ollie." Her lip began to tremble. "I want to see my little girl again."

Oliver pulled her into a hug. "I know you do, love. And you will. Just give it time."

.

May, 1945, Manzanar

Kiku would never forget the day his life changed forever. He was just sitting outside with Grace as Frank came running over to them. He blinked in surprise. "Frank-san?" he asked. "What is it?"

"Grandpa Frank!" Grace squealed in delight. She ran over to Frank as fast as her small, stubby legs would carry her. Her small arms wrapped around his legs.

Frank smiled down at her and picked her up. "Hello, princess," he greeted before kissing her cheek. "I have news, Kiku! It's over! The war is over! You can go!"

"I can what?" Kiku asked.

"I came to tell you because I will personally escort you and Grace to Amelia," Frank offered. "I know that she misses the two of you. She needs you."

Kiku's eyes widened. "You would do that for us?" he asked.

"My shift just ended. Let's get you packed up and your paperwork signed and finished," Frank said. "Mia needs you."

"Who is Mia?" Grace asked, giggling at how silly the name sounded.

"Mia is your mommy," Kiku explained. "We're going to go see Mommy."

Grace's eyes widened in delight. "I get to meet Mommy! I finally get to meet Mommy!" she cried out excitedly.

"That's right, Gracie," Frank told her.

Kiku smiled. "Let me speak with Okaasan and Otousan," he said. "I will be back in a few minutes. You can handle Grace, right?"

"Of course. I raised her mother, didn't I?" Frank asked.

"True," Kiku agreed with a laugh. "I'll be back."

.

Three hours later, Kiku and Grace sat in Frank's car with him, their belongings sitting in the trunk. Kiku was beaming with delight as Grace slept in the back seat. He hoped that she would sleep the entire way home. That would make everything easier.

"Frank-san, does Amelia still live with you?" Kiku asked him.

"No, she lives with Allan and his friend Oliver," Frank answered. "They took her in after they graduated college. For some reason, Oliver chose to get a place with Allan instead of returning to England after college. His family was disappointed, but they respected his decision. He is Allan's best friend."

Kiku smiled. "I'm glad that Allan made such a good friend at college."

"Yeah," Frank sighed. "It's just that Oliver is a little odd. He seems more feminine than most men usually tend to be." He frowned. "I am worried that he may possibly be in love with my son."

"Oh," Kiku said. "I see." He thought it over in his head. Would Allan end up being a homosexual if he succumbed to the femininity of Oliver? What if he already had, and that was why they were living together? Did Amelia know anything? His mind thought all of it through. "What does Amelia look like these days?"

Frank pulled his wallet out and got a picture out of it. "See for yourself, Kiku," he told him, handing over a photo.

It was a picture of Allan and Amelia. Allan looked the same as he always had, but Amelia had grown into a lovely woman. Her hair reached down to her shoulders, and she now had a perfect hourglass figure. She was taller, and her aqua-blue eyes were as beautiful as always. There was a small smile on her lips and a playful sparkle in her eyes.

Kiku smiled. "She's even more beautiful now that she's grown up."

"Isn't she, though?" Frank asked. He glanced over at Kiku. "She's waited for you this whole time, Kiku. There have been many men who have come calling, but she has turned them all down. There is no one else that she wants. Only you. Mia always believed in you, Kiku. And I'm glad she did. That way, you can all be the family you dreamed of being."

"She never courted anyone else?" Kiku asked, wide-eyed. "But she's beautiful. She could have anyone she wanted, and yet she waited for me the whole time?"

"My daughter loves you, Kiku," Frank answered. "She waited for you because she wanted her family to be whole. Amelia wants nothing more than to be a family with you and Grace. She thinks of you two every day. Allan has told me she has even broken plates from spacing off."

Kiku chuckled to himself. "That sounds like Ami-chan." He looked over at Frank. "But Frank-san, we have both changed a lot over the years. Do you think she'll still love me?"

"If you truly love someone, even time apart like this won't change the way you feel," Frank answered simply. "And I know she loves you. If you love her as much as you did before, then it will all work out the same."

Kiku smiled to himself. "I'm glad. I hope that I will be enough for her."

"You will be," Frank said. "I know it. She's waited for you all this time because she knows that you're the one for her. We all know it, so we encouraged her to wait for you. Kiku, creating a child with someone is a miracle. You and Amelia have performed a miracle, and that is an act of love in itself."

"You really think so, Frank-san?" Kiku asked. He thought about it. "You're right. And Grace is the greatest blessing in my life aside from Ami-chan. I love the two main girls in my life so much."

"Just remember that Amelia isn't the same girl that she was back then," Frank reminded him. "She's grown up. She has changed. But in a way, she's still the same Amelia that you know and love, just a little more adult-like."

"I've grown up as well," Kiku said. "Being a father is hard work, but it's well worth it. Grace is a wonderful little girl. I love her more than life itself. I want the world for her."

"And that's what life is all about," Frank told him. "You're finally a man, Kiku. How does it feel?"

"Honest answer?"

"Of course."

"It feels amazing."

.

Amelia looked up from the book she was reading in the living room as there was a knock on the door. Oliver looked toward the front door, pulling away from Allan's embrace and kisses for a moment. He muttered a quick, "Who could that be at this hour?"

"I will answer it," Amelia said.

"You're a girl," Allan stated. "I don't think so." He moved Oliver from his lap and stood up. "If anyone in this house is answering the door, I am." He walked over to the door and opened it. "Mia, can you come here really quick? I think you might like to see this."

Amelia, confused, stood and walked to the door. Her jaw dropped when she saw an older Kiku holding a small, sleepy girl. Tears blurred her vision as she fell to her knees. "This can't be real," she whispered. "Is it really you?"

"It's me, Ami-chan," Kiku answered, smiling. He patted her head. "But it's not only me. It's Grace as well."

Her head snapped up at the mention of Grace. "Grace?" she asked. She rose to her feet and took the sleepy child from Kiku, holding her close. "Grace, my baby!" she cried out, hugging the little girl close to her. "You're so beautiful!"

"Mommy?" she tiredly asked.

"That's right," Kiku answered. "Grace, this is your mommy."

Grace's arms wrapped themselves around Amelia's neck. "Mommy!" she squealed. "You're so pretty, just like Daddy said!" She kissed Amelia's cheek over and over.

Amelia's eyes were pouring out tears of joy. "Grace! Grace, it's really you! My beautiful little girl! Oh, my beautiful daughter!" She hugged her tighter.

"Can't breathe!" Grace squeaked.

She quickly let go. "Sorry about that, sweetheart." Amelia looked up at Kiku. "And you…" She stood up and wrapped her arms around his neck. "I knew you'd return to me. I just knew it." Her lips smashed into his for a passionate kiss that conveyed everything she had felt since he had left. All of the hurt, the love, the pain, the emotion, everything.

Allan grabbed Grace's hand. "Hey, kiddo. I'm Uncle Allan. How about you come inside and play with me and my friend Ollie? Mommy and Daddy need to talk."

Grace smiled at him. "Are you Mommy's brother?"

"I am," Allan said, leading her inside. "Let's go."

Kiku kissed Amelia back with just as much passion. "I love you so much, Ami-chan," he said when they broke apart for air. He tangled his hands in her hair. "You waited for me, didn't you?"

"I did," she whispered. "I never lost hope in you."

"And I never lost hope in you either." He kissed her forehead softly. "I love you so much, Ami-chan. Let's never be separated again."

"Never," Amelia agreed with a nod. She looked him up and down. "I just can't believe you're really here. At last, my love has returned to me!" Tears streamed down her cheeks once more. "I love you so much, Kiku!"

"I know these are tears of joy, but please don't cry," Kiku said. "I've waited so long to see you, and I don't want to see you cry. I want to see you happy."

Amelia laughed. "It's so like you to say something like that." Her hands reached up to cup Kiku's. "You're a wonderful man." She leaned in and kissed him once more. "We have a lot of catching up to do, don't we?"

"I guess you could say that," Kiku answered.

"But we can do that tomorrow," she answered. "There is nothing I want to do other than fall asleep in your arms right now. That's all I want. I am tired, and I want to wake up and know that this wasn't a dream."

"If that's the proof you want, then that's what it will be," Kiku answered with a smile.

Amelia grabbed his hand and led him inside. "You should meet Oliver first. He's Allan's boyfriend."

"Boyfriend?" Kiku asked.

"Please don't think differently of my brother," Amelia said. "Oliver makes him happy, and as long as Allan is happy, then that's all that matters to me."

Kiku smiled and squeezed her hand. "I'm glad. Allan deserves happiness just as much as we do."

"I'm glad you see it that way," Amelia said, smiling. She smiled over at Oliver. "Ollie, I'd like you to meet Kiku Honda, the love of my life and Grace's father."

Oliver looked up at Kiku as he bounced Grace on his knee. "Pleasure to meet you, Kiku. My name is Oliver. You have such a beautiful daughter. I am so happy that you came back. Amelia thought you the two of you often."

"That's what I heard," Kiku said with a smile.

Amelia walked over to Grace. "Grace, what do you say we all go to bed in Mommy's room?" she asked.

Grace smiled. "Yeah, I'm sleepy." She held her arms out to Amelia.

The mother picked up her child and carried her down the hall. "Let's all go to bed."

And that was what they did, Amelia sandwiched between her daughter and her love. Never in her life had she slept so well. Everything was finally perfect. Her happy family was finally all together again, and there was nothing else in the world she would ever want for again.

.

The End.

(Or is it?)


	12. Epilogue

Seven Years Later

Amelia Honda sat back with a smile. She was so happy that she couldn't contain it. Just like her brother had once predicted, her life had fallen into place. Five years before, she had married Kiku, and they had three more beautiful children together by the names of Harmony Natsume, Justice Atsushi, and Liberty Rika. She wouldn't have it any other way.

Her eyes gazed down at her youngest, Liberty, as she rocked the small toddler in her arms. She was one proud mother of four beautiful children. Grace was ten, Harmony was six, Justice was two, and Liberty was just barely a year.

Kiku walked over. "You finally got Libby down for a nap?" he asked. "I thought she would never go down." He smiled at his wife. "You're amazing."

Amelia grinned up at him. "Glad to hear you say that." She puckered her lips up at him and he quickly kissed him. "What's going on with the other kids? Where are they?"

"Justice finally accepted that it's nap time, so he's asleep. Harmony is playing dolls with Grace." There was a shrill screech from the living room that caused both of them to cringe. "Correction," Kiku stated, "Harmony was playing dolls with Grace." He kissed the top of Liberty's head. "I'll go take care of that."

"Thanks," Amelia said. "I love you." She smiled as he left. There was nothing she loved more than the family she and Kiku had thrown together. She loved her husband, son, and daughters. Everything was so perfect to her.

Grace came running into the room. "Mom!" she softly exclaimed. "Harmy took my doll that I was playing with!"

"Did you ask her to give it back?" Amelia asked her. She put a finger to her lips as she saw her oldest get more and more upset. "Tell me what happened, but remember that Libby is sleeping, okay?"

Grace took a deep breath and then began. "Well Harmy took my doll because I wasn't playing right, according to her. But she's only six, so how would she know anyway?" She frowned deeply. "But Harmy doesn't know how to play dolls. Then Daddy came in and took the dolls away from us!" Her lower lip began to tremble. "It's not fair, Mom!"

Liberty stirred in her sleep from the sudden outburst at the end, and Amelia quickly tried to comfort the baby while whispering to her oldest, "Gracie, he'll give them back when you and Harmony can play nicely with each other. But right now, you two have to be nice because Libby and Justice are sleeping."

"I don't care!" Grace wailed. "I want my doll!"

Liberty's eyes began to flutter open as she started whimpering from being woken up. Her whimpers quickly became more than just that as screams filled the room. She wailed and wailed as Amelia closed her eyes and internally counted to ten.

"Kiku!" Amelia called. She rocked the screaming baby, trying to comfort her. "Grace, we're going to have to have a talk later about you being more considerate of Mommy and your baby sister."

Kiku came running into the room. He grabbed Grace's hand and began to lead her from the room. "Grace, come with me. We need to have a talk."

"No!" Grace cried out. "I'm scared! I don't wanna have a talk!" Tears were flowing from her eyes like a broken dam. "Daddy, please! Mom, no!"

Kiku picked up his oldest daughter and carried her to the bedroom that she shared with Harmony. "Gracie, please stop crying. I need to talk to you," he calmly said. He reached out and hugged the wailing ten-year-old in an attempt to comfort her. "You're not in trouble. We just need to talk about some things."

Grace's wailing quickly turned to sniffling as Kiku stopped hugging her. She rubbed at her eyes and looked up at him. "Daddy, am I in trouble for waking Libby up?"

"What do you think?" Kiku asked.

"Yes," she softly said. "Mom was really mad at me." She stared at her feet as her eyes filled with tears again. "Is Mom going to yell at me?"

"No," Kiku said. "Mom is not going to yell at you." He was good at empathizing with Grace better than with any of his other kids. After all, for the first two years of her life, it was just the two of them. He felt the bond between the two of them was stronger than the bond between him and the other three. "I will tell her we talked."

"Daddy, am I your favorite?" Grace asked him, her brown eyes filled with curiosity. "Emily from next door said that every parent has a favorite child."

"I do not have a favorite," Kiku told her. "But you and me are special, Grace."

"How?" she asked.

"One day, I know you will understand."

.

Six Years Later

Grace Honda sneaked out of her bedroom late in the night. She was on her way to meet up with a boy. After she was certain that her parent had gone to bed, she had put on clothes she knew they would never allow and crept out of hers and Harmony's bedroom after making her sister swear to silence.

She crept all the way down the hall and toward the staircase. Her footfalls were nearly silent, knowing where all of the creeks in the staircase were. Grace had sneaked out multiple times, knowing that her parents were none the wiser. And with Harmony sworn to silence, it always got easier, especially once she saw that the light in her parents' room was out.

Her movements were silent as she opened the front door and slipped out. Something seemed off, but she just didn't realize what it was. There was something about the atmosphere on her front porch that she didn't like.

"Noah?" she whispered, looking around. "Noah, where are you?"

"Noah will not be accompanying you tonight," Kiku's voice said from the corner of the porch. "I sent him home when I found him out here waiting for you."

Grace felt her heart skip a beat in her chest. "Daddy?" she choked out. She knew that she was dead where she stood.

"I know that I did not raise you this way," Kiku said, walking out of the shadows of the porch and illuminating himself in the light. "What the fuck made you think that your mother and I wouldn't notice?"

"Harmony is going to pay for this," Grace mumbled.

"Your sister has nothing to do with this," her father said. "We've known about this for awhile now. We didn't have to hear it from Harmony to know that you've been sneaking out. I've been watching you do it, but you just didn't know. And I know what you do when you're out. Your mother does as well. We're not stupid. We had you when we were your age."

Grace gulped and frowned. "I'm not going to be like Mom. I'm smarter than that."

"You're my little girl, Gracie," Kiku softly told her. "I can't let you do this and still be able to sleep at night."

"Why am I so important, Daddy? Huh? It's not fair!" Grace suddenly exclaimed. "Why do I have to be the one you're the most strict with?"

"Because you're the one I've spent the most time with," Kiku answered. "I've known you longer than anyone else in this family has."

"Not longer than Mom," Grace said, shaking her head. "She gave birth to me and has been with me all my life."

"That's not true," he blurted out. "Do you want to know who raised you? Who stayed up with you every night when you couldn't sleep as a baby? Who toilet trained you? Who taught you to walk and talk? It wasn't her, it was me."

"But Mom was still right there."

"She wasn't." Kiku wore a sorrowful expression. "It was during the war, Grace. You were taken away from her and grew up in an internment camp with me."

Grace's eyes widened. "No. No I didn't. I've never been to a prison camp in my entire life."

"You're too young to remember," Kiku sighed. "You were there with me until you were almost three years old." He frowned. "Grace, you're my baby girl, the one I'm closest to. I raised you on my own for two years. Please just listen to me. I do know what's best."

Tears glistened in her eyes. "Daddy, why didn't you ever tell me this before?" she asked. "This isn't fair to find out right now! It's not fair! Is Amelia Honda even my mother?"

"She is," Kiku answered with a nod, "trust me on that. And I love her more than life itself. I always have. Not a day went by at camp when I didn't think of her and anticipate raising you together with her."

"Could you…" Grace's voice cut off. "Could you tell me more?"

"Hai," Kiku said with a nod. He sat on the porch swing and had Grace sit next to him. And for the next two hours, he answered every question she had about her childhood.

.

Amelia woke the next morning to find Kiku fast asleep in bed next to her. She remembered him going out to the porch when they were going to bed. Her mouth stretched into a wide smile. She knew that he was going to tell Grace the truth about Manzanar, and she hoped that their oldest had taken it well.

She stretched and smiled over at Kiku. Her smiled almost didn't fit on her face as she snuggled up to her husband. Everything about her was so in love with him, ever since they were young. And though the years had come and gone, she still saw that beautiful Japanese boy who would always give her rides home from school on his bike.

Mornings like these were when her heart felt at its fullest. She was so happy that she could scream, but then it would wake up her family. Amelia snuggled against Kiku and felt so warm and safe in his arms. There was nothing she wanted more than to grow old with this man.

There was a soft knock at the door and Amelia got out of bed and answered it. Grace was standing there. She looked as if she hadn't slept all night, as if she were troubled. The moment she saw that it was Amelia who answered, she hugged her tightly and began crying.

"Gracie?" Amelia softly asked. "What's wrong?"

"I had no idea…" Grace softly admitted. "I didn't know about all of the pain you went through because of the war…."

Amelia embraced her daughter back. "Grace, that's all in the past now," she said, voice near a hum. "It's okay now. We're all together as a family, and that's what matters. Me, you, Daddy, Harmony, Justice, and Liberty are all together and happy now."

"How did it feel to have me taken away?" Grace softly asked, pulling away. She wiped at her tears.

"It was the worst pain I could ever imagine," she answered, remembering the pain of the officers taking her screaming baby away from her. Amelia frowned. "I hope you never have to experience it. That's the worst thing I could ever imagine for a woman to go through."

"I can imagine," Grace said, nodding. "Mom, I just have to say one thing. Daddy really opened my eyes to what happened back then. You are so strong, and I hope to be like you one day."

Amelia chuckled to herself. "Trust me, there were days when I thought I was nowhere near strong." She sighed. "Let's go talk about this somewhere else. I take it you and Daddy had a late night?"

Grace nodded and led the way down the hall.

.

Justice walked over to Kiku later that day. "Dad, I have a question for you," he said. He fidgeted with his hands for a second before looking up at Kiku. "When did you know that you liked Mom?"

"I was younger than you," Kiku answered. "Your mother was the only girl I ever liked. Why are you asking me this? Do you like someone, Justice?"

He fiddled with his zipper on his jacket for a moment. "Well there's a girl in my class named Anne, and I think I really like her. Everyone says it's just puppy love and that I'll grow out of it. No one takes my love for Anne seriously." Justice frowned. "Do you, Dad?"

Kiku thought about it for a moment. "Well, if you think you love her, then who am I to tell you that you don't? My parents always thought that I would get over Ami-chan, and now we're married and have four amazing kids together. So who am I to tell you that the same won't happen with you and this Anne girl?"

Justice smiled at Kiku. "Thanks, Dad."

"Anytime, Justice," he said, ruffling his son's hair. "Is there anything else you would like to talk about?"

His son thought for a moment. "No, I don't think I do." He was quiet for a little longer. "Wait, actually, I do."

"What's that?" Kiku asked him, cocking his head to the side. "Is something bothering you, Justice?"

"It's not that," he softly said. "It's just that I know that you and Grace were up late talking." He bit his lip. "I couldn't help but eavesdrop a little bit. Actually, Libby and I both did. Is that all true? Was Grace really taken away from Mom when she was a baby?"

Kiku sighed. "Yes," he answered. "She was. You and your sister shouldn't have been listening." He didn't want to explain everything to Justice at that moment. He wanted his son to believe that the world wasn't as hateful as it really was.

"Why did you and Grace have to live in camp?" Justice asked, confused. "Was it like camping? But wouldn't it get cold camping in the winter?"

"We had to live there because people didn't like us," Kiku answered. "Bad things happened because of the people in Japan, which is where my parents are from. Not all Japanese people are bad, but some are. The same could be said about Americans." He frowned. "So the Americans thought it would be good to lock every Japanese person in America in a camp until the war with Japan ended. That's why Grace and I had to live there."

"But Grace is only half-Japanese," Justice said, confused.

"She looked Japanese as a baby," Kiku said with a frown. He hated talking about the hateful things in his past, especially with his own children. "That was a different time. Things are at least slightly better now." He knew that things were still bad for his children, knowing that they were bullied at times for being half-Japanese.

"I guess so," Justice softly said. "I mean, at least we don't have to live at a camp without Mom."

"That's right," the father answered with a smile. "We can all be a happy family and live together now."

Justice smiled widely. "Yeah!"

Kiku smiled. He was glad that Justice forgot the hard things so quickly.

.

Amelia smiled when she got the mail. She saw a letter addressed to her from London, England. Allan had written to her from there after going to visit with Oliver. Though they would be back soon, she had told him to write if anything were to happen. She ripped it open and a photograph fell out. Her eyes widened when she saw it.

In the photograph, Allan was standing next to a guy who looked nearly identical to him other than the fact that he had lighter hair and glasses. They had their arms across each other's shoulders. On the back Oliver had neatly scrawled, "Alland and Alfred".

"Alfred?" Amelia softly asked herself. She was confused and read the letter only to find out that Alfred was the son of their Aunt Colleen, who had died years before from alcohol poisoning. She had completely forgotten about that cousin of hers. It had been so long ago since she had heard from or about him.

Now as Amelia looked closer at the photograph, she realized that it was obvious that Alfred and Allan were related. It was in their faces and the way they held themselves. It was almost as if they were twins. She smiled to herself and went to show Kiku.

"Kiku, I got a letter from Allan!" she excitedly said. "And you'll never believe what happened!" Amelia showed him the picture. "Somehow, he found out cousin in London. Apparently he has a lover there or something, but look at that! They look nearly identical!"

Kiku smiled. "That's pretty insane," he confirmed. "But that's cool. How come I have never heard of Alfred?"

"His father cheated on his mother and Alfred looked like his father, so he was disowned by his mother," Amelia sadly said, gazing at her cousin in the photograph.

"Isn't that a bit unfair to the child?" Kiku asked.

Amelia looked up. "That's just how Aunt Colleen was. We offered to take him, but she sent him to a military academy and that was the last I ever heard of him until now." She smiled back at the picture. "I'm so jealous."

Kiku grinned. "Well I'm glad you got that photograph in the mail today. It's nice to see things like that. When are Allan and Oliver due back anyway?"

"They're probably on their way back as we speak," she answered. "I think they're taking a boat back, though. So we just have to wait. I can't wait to ask about Alfred! It's going to be great!" She smiled with delight. "I've missed my cousin! I thought he had died or something and no one had told me! Is it bad that I almost forgot about him?"

"Not that bad," Kiku softly said, "but that's still pretty sad, Ami-chan."

Amelia sighed. "At least he's safe and well. That's all that matters to me right now." She took a deep breath and exhaled happily. "He's alive, Kiku! This is wonderful!"

"I'm glad that Alfred is alive," he answered.

.

Amelia snuggled up next to Kiku in bed that night, laying her head on his chest. "Kiku?" she softly asked.

"Yes?" he asked back.

"Will you love me forever?" She traced hearts onto his chest through his shirt with her fingertip. "I mean, even after I get old and unattractive. Will you still love me even if I start to lose my mind at an old age or go crazy?"

"What kind of a question is that?" Kiku asked. "Of course I will. 'For better or worse. In sickness and in health. Until death do us part.' What does that mean to you?"

She smiled and kissed him softly. "I love you, Kiku Honda."

"And I love you, Amelia Honda," he softly answered. "You are the most incredible woman I have met in my entire life. You are the only woman I have ever and will ever love. Everything about you is wonderful to me. I want to wake up next to you every morning, no matter what you look like. You'll always be beautiful and amazing to me."

"And the same goes to you, Kiku," she softly said. "I'll love you forever." She tilted her head up and kissed his jawline. "Until death do us part."

"Then please let death be a long time from now," Kiku softly said.

Amelia couldn't help but agree.

.

The End


End file.
